Invest In: Quality Time

Via Iceland Express: Photo of the Week

This weekend, mortality sort of slapped me right in the face. It reminded me how important it is to take a step back from the rush and bustle and really invest some quality time in you, and in your loved ones. In the grand scheme of things, our lives seem so fleeting. While it’s important to live life to it’s full extent, in that spirit we sometimes tend to overlook some of the more important parts of our lives – our family and our close friends.

When was the last time you called your mother and shared stories? Or gave your dad a hug? When was the last time you genuinely took interest in your siblings’ accomplishments? When was the last time you told your best friend how awesome they are? Or gave your lover a token of your affection?

Even more poignant – maybe there’s a friend you’ve lost due to misunderstandings between you. Or maybe there’s some animosity between you and another. Living with that kind of inner beast is not a sure path to inner peace. It could even be that kind of turmoil within yourself. Accept your differences, and make peace. It could be as simple as telling that other person that you appreciate the differences between you two. It could be as complicated as admitting that you, too, have your own flaws, and that you accept that.

If it’s someone you’ve lost, who’s left this world, make peace with them in your heart. You could draft out a dialogue in which you tell them you appreciate their presence on this earth – however brief. You could write them a letter or sing them a song. Do something that will put your heart at peace and imagine that person, standing with you, and how they’d react to your genuine appreciation for their being.

There is a beauty in this world, and part of it is the way our lives weave in and out of the lives of others.  Our interpersonal interaction makes out lives so much sweeter and you wouldn’t be able to experience much of what you do if there was no interaction.  Make sure, this week, to reciprocate the love that comes to you. Be sure to step out and put love and acceptance forward so that it’ll come back to you.

Make time for that now, because now is all we have.

PS – On kind of a related note, Jenny the Bloggess wrote this the other day:

My point here is that it’s easy for silly dramas to overshadow good things and for small slights to get blown out of proportion and that the best thing that you can do if someone pisses you off or hurts your feelings is to go up to them and give them an enormous hug.  Both because it’s healing and it’ll make you feel better about being so totally selfless and also because it’ll make the person who was mean to you all paranoid and they’ll be too disoriented by your kindness to be mean to you anymore.  It’s a win for everyone.  Especially for all of your friends who don’t have to spend the rest of the evening awkwardly picking sides and watching the whole debacle unfold on twitter.

And I laughed and thought it was relevant.