My Mantra
Do you have a mantra? A phrase or motto that you live by? Maybe you can’t think of one off hand but chances are good that if you look hard enough into your life, you’ll find one! My life mantra is this— “Life is for the living.” Years ago, following my mother’s passing I was watching a movie, honestly, I can’t even remember the name of the movie. All I can remember is this one little phrase that completely reframed the way I approach life. The Bible reminds us that life is short, like a mist. Here one day and gone the next (James 4:14). Life is short. This side of eternity is just a mere blink compared to the eternity we will spend with Jesus. When we understand the brevity of life (as depressing as that can sound) it should compel us to live with a new sense of intention and purpose.
In a way, life is for the living is another way to remind us to seize the moment. In life, we tend to waste a lot of time and energy meditating on what others are doing, meditating on losses of the past, or fear and anxiety focused around the future. Life is for today. Life is for the now! When you transition into the now mentality, life not only takes on a fresh purpose but also takes on a new perspective from gratitude. If we lose focus, we start to miss out on the blessings that are all around us. When we live a life of gratitude in the now, we stop waiting to live. Waiting to live is waiting to enjoy life when… Sometimes your when doesn’t come. Sometimes, your when looks different than what you expected. If you spend your life waiting and wishing then you miss out on the gratification of the blessings that surround you today! Stop waiting for big moments in your life to give you permission to live. Live now, harvest the best fruit the season of now has to offer! It’s the little things that cause joy in the living. It’s the engagement with a loved one, a conversation with a friend, it’s being kind to a stranger, making time for what may seem insignificant. Give yourself permission to be happy today and to live now, not later when everything is perfect.
I could have spent years being sad over losing my mom, and man do I still miss her. But, I had to refocus. My mother left an amazing memory for me to live with. But if I would have allowed a loss to define every good moment from then on, I would miss out on the joy of life. I will see her again one day, and that will be the longest part of my life in eternity. But for now, life is for the living. Don’t wait for your ideal family, finances, health, and relationships to give you the green light to live. Live today. Enjoy the little gifts that life has to offer, after all, it’s here one moment and then quickly fleeting.
Here are some ways I live out the mantra, “Life is for the living”:
I express what my heart feels. I don’t hold back compliments or gratitude to those around me! I never want to miss a moment to tell others how much I love and appreciate them!
I plan. Time is a thief! Each season I am careful to purposely plan outings, dinners, moments for memories, and connection with those I love.
I stay in gratitude. Not in a gloomy way, but I remind myself that today is a gift and the people around me are a gift that I shouldn’t take for granted.
I take time for the little things. A walk, enjoying flowers, being silly with the kids, ice cream for dinner, a relaxing Spotify playlist, fresh flowers in the kitchen, the perfect candle lit, a quiet moment with the Lord…The little things fill the tank of the soul.
I pour myself out. As much as possible, I try to pour myself out each day. I try my best to give of myself to better those around me. Life is to live, for me, that means making an imprint on those around me. A kind text, cleaning up after my family, making a special dinner or dessert, whatever it is, I want to give every day!
Well, that’s it.. my mantra. As we wrap it up how I try to live my life, think about what living in the now means to you. What are the blessings all around you today? Seize them, enjoy them, be grateful for them! Life is for the living!