“Live not for battles won. Live not for the-end-of-the-song. Live in the along.”- Gwendolyn Brooks
Have you ever driven to work and arrived safely though you don't consciously remember much of the trip? We can travel through our lives in much the same way if we are not careful. The passage of time accelerates as we age and fast days become fast weeks, months, and then years.
Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing our attention on the present moment—and accepting it without judgment. Though ancient in origin, the practice of mindfulness has been studied at length with numerous physical, mental, and emotional health benefits. To become mindful is a practice much like anything of value. It will take some work. I am working on this myself. However, sometime our hearts become more easily focused as they are moved by emotions which literally take our breath away. The beauty of the mountains, the ocean rhythmically striking the shore, the laughter of a baby, or the kiss from a spouse of fifty years cause our hearts to speed up or slow down as we collect the moment. When practiced, our awareness of the world around us becomes vibrant with color. When we practice mindfulness and moment collecting, we can develop the child-like state of Wonder.
Wonder is that magical place where the heart and mind meet. Wonder inspires gratitude, curiosity, peace, joy, contentment, and helps us remember yesteryear as if yesterday. Wonder is soul-filling, and don’t we all need that?
A Good Death Lifestyle is steeped in meaning and purpose. A meaningful life allows one to look back with satisfaction and to look forward with hope. I love the quote by William Shakespeare, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”. I have found my gift and my purpose. Here, you will find tools to discover your gift and you will know your purpose as you give it away.