What it means to be living

My greatest selfie to date! 

What I've learned since 2/7/16: 

(the day I almost died) 

1. My family is amazing.

 I need to worry less about past hurts and petty squabbles and remember how very blessed I am to be born into a family with these 5 incredible people. 

2. Being in good health is SUCH a blessing. 

You don't realize it until it's gone. 

I'm so tired of being tired and I just wish for the days when I was training for half marathons and going 7-8 miles a day like it was nothing. 

3. I need to work to be mentally healthy. 

When I am immersed in working and tired, I often think it would be amazing to sit at home every day with no responsibilities. 

But this LONG break from work reminded me how boring idleness and lack of purpose and productivity are. 

4. Life can change in the blink of an eye.

 Live your life now...you don't know what tomorrow brings. 

5. The last thing is something I've been trying to teach myself for years and years...it's become a little more clear since 2/7/16- the idea that (and I am quoting Robin Williams who was quoting David Thoreau)

 "Most men live lives of quiet desperation.

 Don't be resigned to that". 

 I really desperately want to LIVE my life- to challenge myself, to see amazing things, to serve, to travel, to have as few regrets as are humanly possible. 

If i had died that Sunday 3 weeks ago, I would have died without:

 ever seeing the Northern Lights

 without ever running a full marathon

 without ever dancing all night

without sleeping in a field of blue bonnets.

 without reading all the works of Shakespeare

 without spending Christmas Day volunteering at a shelter

and a million other little life goals and dreams. 

2016 has started out as a rocky, expensive, crazy roller coaster for me.

 I want it to end as the BEST year of my life. 

Wish me luck!!

Lori Ann