Mathew has a reoccurring dream. He is on his deathbed at age 88, about to peacefully cross over and a bean counter appears boldly at the foot of his bed, calculator in hand. "Well Mathew, how do you think you scored in this lifetime?" the bean counter asks.
Mathew softly replies: "I think I did pretty well. I had a great marriage, three healthy children and a number of substantial professions. Sure, I may not have seen my family too much because of work demands, had few true friends due to time constraints and made some mistakes. We all do. But all in all, I have few regrets."
"Ah-ha!" the bean counter claims, "what you may not be aware of is this: You spent a combined total of: - 45.2 years of your life harshly criticizing yourself and others - 30.6 years worrying about things you could not change - 26.4 years allowing false assumptions get in the way of having what you want - 19.3 years in judgment of others rather than trying to understand them - 16.7 years stuffing anger rather than expressing it in a healthy manner
All the while, you spent only: - 17.8 years feeling love - 15 years focusing solely on what is important to you - 10.7 years in play - 9.6 years laughing - 7.6 years helping others - 5.7 years in meditation or prayer - 4.1 years being totally honest, with yourself and others - 3.2 years being in the moment, without distractions - 3.1 years expressing love - 2.3 years thanking others
Mathew woke up from his dream in a sweaty panic. "Is it true? Is this the way I live my life? Is this a wake up call for me to define and live more clearly in the realm of what is truly important to me?"
Certain times in our lives demand that we step back and look at what is truly important to us—look at how we spend our days, which is how we spend our lives. These times are birth or death of a loved one, falling in love, serious disease or catastrophe of some sort.
We have unimpaired clarity at these moments. What is important, becomes crystal clear and all else fades away. My request of you this week is to step back from your every day assumptions and methods of operation. Look at the beauty and gifts around and within you. What is truly important to you and how are you honoring that each and every day? Have a great week and enjoy your discoveries.
Mathew softly replies: "I think I did pretty well. I had a great marriage, three healthy children and a number of substantial professions. Sure, I may not have seen my family too much because of work demands, had few true friends due to time constraints and made some mistakes. We all do. But all in all, I have few regrets."
"Ah-ha!" the bean counter claims, "what you may not be aware of is this: You spent a combined total of: - 45.2 years of your life harshly criticizing yourself and others - 30.6 years worrying about things you could not change - 26.4 years allowing false assumptions get in the way of having what you want - 19.3 years in judgment of others rather than trying to understand them - 16.7 years stuffing anger rather than expressing it in a healthy manner
All the while, you spent only: - 17.8 years feeling love - 15 years focusing solely on what is important to you - 10.7 years in play - 9.6 years laughing - 7.6 years helping others - 5.7 years in meditation or prayer - 4.1 years being totally honest, with yourself and others - 3.2 years being in the moment, without distractions - 3.1 years expressing love - 2.3 years thanking others
Mathew woke up from his dream in a sweaty panic. "Is it true? Is this the way I live my life? Is this a wake up call for me to define and live more clearly in the realm of what is truly important to me?"
Certain times in our lives demand that we step back and look at what is truly important to us—look at how we spend our days, which is how we spend our lives. These times are birth or death of a loved one, falling in love, serious disease or catastrophe of some sort.
We have unimpaired clarity at these moments. What is important, becomes crystal clear and all else fades away. My request of you this week is to step back from your every day assumptions and methods of operation. Look at the beauty and gifts around and within you. What is truly important to you and how are you honoring that each and every day? Have a great week and enjoy your discoveries.