Are You Living The Life You Want?

In the tradition of MicroblogMondays, I am going to make this a short and sweet post. Yes, you heard that right – sweet! Okay, not short.

After I cruised along from one blog link to another yesterday, I impulsively joined a blog hop called Finish the sentence Friday over at Finding Ninee and since I had a post scheduled here, I decided to finish the sentence for the week “Life is too short to…” over at Coffee With Mi. Clever, I know.

When I first saw the prompt, I laughed it off. Then I felt guilty. It got me thinking, what if I did attempt to respond to the prompt? Can’t be all that bad, eh?

So I did.

It felt good.

Very good.

And my post got me thinking. Again.

I pondered, am I living the life I want, at least to some extent?

I figured I was.

So I had a doctor’s appointment today at 9 am. I also had work to catch up with. I rushed through the morning, cooking, packing lunch boxes, sending my folks off, then showering and dressing, getting my medical reports ready to show the doc. It wasn’t like I was nervous. Still, a visit to the doc always has me wondering if there’ll be changes in the prescription, etc. etc. Diabetes is like that.

So anyway, after I pulled the door shut behind me, I walked briskly. And as I walked, I found myself growing calmer, because I started to notice what I was seeing.

I gave myself permission to stop thinking and just enjoy myself, as I walked – I had a couple of miles to go.

I consciously looked around me.

Since it was a road I didn’t take often – yeah, the road less traveled – I rediscovered all the lovely sights along the way – the vegetable vendor unpacking her stuff – fresh produce looks glorious you know – and her inviting smile, brilliant. So many colors, so many shades.

I felt grateful to be the recipient of her loving smile.

Soon there would be people thronging to buy her stuff.

I went with the flow of the morning sounds around me.

My senses took in the fragrance of the jasmine flowers on the carts I passed.

I allowed memories of my Mom and other loved ones fill my head, reminding me of happy times.

I felt lucky to inhale the sunshine.

I breathed deeply and could feel my heartbeat, steady and rhythmic in my ears.

I looked up at the canopy of leaves created by the branches of the trees, inter-meshing above me, allowing the sun to play hide and seek, dappling the road, and me with it.

I laughed aloud and a couple of heads turned. I remembered how, when my son was a toddler, he’d try to catch the bits of sunshine on that very road while returning from playschool.

I walked on, looking up at all the new buildings that had come up recently, and marveled at the change in the area.

My attention gradually turned to the people I passed as I walked. Happy faces, worried faces, faces that just hurried by.

I said a silent prayer of thanks for the life I had.

I let go of my worries, for the moment.

And decided to just be.

It felt good.

I was happy to realize I was living the life I want, relishing every moment.

It is easy, really, to be mindful.

Have you ever felt this way?

Don’t let life pass you by.

Enjoy it.

We’re always getting ready to live, but never living.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer

I am enjoying #MicroblogMondays with Mel at The Stirrup Queens  ♥ Do join us!