Tuesday 30 December 2008

Life Isn't/Life Is!

Machu Pichu
photo by the daughter of a friend

I just finished reading a novel recently "Addition" by Tony Jordan. As well as being an authoress she is also a molecular biologist. However that's nothing to do with the story. It's not the story that I wanted to post about but the last paragraph.

"Many people miss their whole lives you know. Listen,life isn't when you are standing on top of a mountain looking at the sunset. Life isn't waiting at the alter or the moment your child is born or that time you were swimming in deep water and a dolphin came up alongside you. These are fragments. Ten or twelve grains of sand spread throughout your entire existence. These are not life. Life is brushing your teeth or making a sandwich or watching the news or waiting for the bus. Or walking. Every day, thousands of tiny events happen and if you're not watching, if you're not careful, if you don't capture them and make them count, you could miss it.

You could miss your whole life.

I like this and I am sure everyone has their own interpretation.

A very Happy and Blessed New Year to all. Barbara


22 comments:

Alettesiriane said...

thanyou yes life just is!take care

Susan said...

It's what I call living in the moment.....I look at each new day as I clean sheet of paper the Lord gives me...."His mercies are new every morning"....and it's up to me what I choose to write on that sheet, for this day, and this day only.
Susan

Lorrie said...

What a beautiful reminder to savour each moment of life the Lord gives to us - THIS is the day that the Lord has made!

Lorrie

Vee said...

I really like this, too. If one doesn't do this, entire hunks of time are simply gone...vanished...no memory of it.

Happy New Year to you and Alan! I'm looking forward to many more of your travels.

Willow said...

Yes, life is each moment you live. I would call it living purposefully and thoughtfully.

Linda said...

That is a wonderful quote and something to live by. I think 2009 is going to be the best year yet.

Anonymous said...

My sentiments exactly, too many people look but don't see, listen but don't hear and exist but don't live ... every day is a miracle!
Happy New Year to you both!
Kate

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

A very Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year to you too Barbara!

Lots of Love Tyra

Anonymous said...

Another gem - thank you Barbara. Have just been looking at the clustrmap. I can't believe how far your blog is read - it's amazing!

Linda said...

Best wishes for a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year to you and your family Barbara. Enjoy life moment by moment.

Tess Kincaid said...

I love this.

Happy New Year to you and yours, Barbara!

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year Barbara. That pic of Machu Piccu is special. When I was temporarily paralysed, my goal was to climb it while I went through physio. When I was up and about again, it became less and less important. I was more grateful for the small achievements and the more I could do each week as I recovered instead.

Thanks for sharing those words. Blogging has been a gift- helped me record the small beauties I see and appreciate them differently as I am seeing them through a lens as if anew.

Betty said...

Barbara,
Seeing so many people living 'for tomorrow' or 'when I have'...they miss today's blessings...and I have been guilty of being so 'busy' that I'm sure I've missed many....but I hope I've learned to slow down and live in the here and now....

Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy, prosperous spirit-filled 2009...Betty

Winifred said...

That's exactly right! "Living in the now" I call it.

Thanks for your blogs and photos, have a lovely year in 2009!

Maggs said...

Hi Barbara, I stumbled across your blog on Elizabeth's New York Blog. I have to say your blog is lovely and I shall be visiting often.

Wishing you and all bloggers a Happy New Year.

Lavinia said...

Some very wise words here, to take to heart. Thank you!

Barbara, I'd like to wish you and yours, a very Happy New Year. I hope that 2009 brings you joy, health, prosperity, happiness, contentment, and all of life's other wonderful things!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

That is a perfect quote as we end the year and begin a new one, and I love what it says.

May 2009 be a year when each of us pays attention and gleans the gifts of the present moment, as well as offering the gift of our presence to those we are with, just as the Lord is present with us always and each moment we live is in His hands.

Happy New Year to you and Alan, and blessings always.

Sara

Charm and Grace said...

Barbara, there is such truth in these words. Life is not about the mountaintop experiences but about all those steps in the same direction on the path up the mountain, down the mountain, and everywhere in between. I remember hearing a sermon once about a "long obedience in the same direction" which is what this makes me think of. It's about the joy of knowing He is holding me each step of the way.

I just want to say once again how much I have enjoyed your blog and your friendship this year. May 2009 be filled with blessings for you and your family!

Christi

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Ooh, that is so true and how I live everyday! If one can find happiness in the everyday, life is incredibly sweet.

I wish you a truly Happy New Year! May it be filled with all kinds of joy!

Mmm said...

How very well put. And even these littel moments of leaving comments are life. Happy New Year to you Barbara.

Tea Time With Melody said...

Thank you for your comments to my blog. I like this post and it puts a lot of my thoughts in perspective. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

barbarba, its so nice to read[hear] others give God the glory, i have so enjoyed your blog, my first one to visit.you the in the only other country i want to visit, England. a christian" Hello" from across the " big pond", [Texas] molly