"Mom - how long do you plan to live?" Little Billy is sitting behind me in his seat in the van.
"Oh, I hope I live to at least 80," I answer quickly.
"That's all?" he is surprised. "I have 89 years still. I'm going to live to 100 years old."
"Well, I hope you do, Sweetie," I look at my darling son in the rear view mirror. "But ... make sure you never blink," I say, and giggle.
"Why?" he is confused.
"Because it passes by in a flash. It seems like a long time, but it will be over before you know it and you don't want to miss a thing. Don't blink."
There is this Bar-B-Q place near my house that is known for its delicious barbecued beef brisket and ribs. I love the brisket and smoked turkey the best. But, my favorite thing about this place is its yummy creamed corn.
My sister sometimes teases me about my love of food. She thinks I obsess over food and I think she is probably right. It's not that I eat all the time or gorge myself at family gatherings - it's just obvious to her that I take tremendous delight in delicious foods. It's true - when I find a food that I just love, I think about that food a lot. I crave it and make time in my life to search it out and enjoy it - over and over again.
Imagine all the foods in the world that we will never try in our lifetime. It is something not many people think of or even care about, I am sure. But ... it is one of those things that, if we had the opportunity, might enrich our lives in ways we might never imagine.
This is true of all of life's experiences. Unless we take the time to truly see the opportunities that cross our paths and stop and taste the deliciousness of the moment - we might never experience the details of life. Meet the people that can change our destiny. Hear the words that might alter our perceptions.
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a Mack truck driver when I grew up. I wanted a beautiful, red Mack truck. Somewhere along the path of my life, I changed my mind about joining the trucking union and pursuing a life as a truck driver. I can't tell you the exact moment or the words, but ... something happened that altered my decision. Life has a way of doing that to us - placing people in our paths or thoughts in our minds that form our beliefs and desires and interpretations. It might be something truly magnificent that will alter our course, or it might be something subtle - like creamed corn.
I went to drop Alexis off at choir practice a few weeks ago - it was beginning to rain. After leaving her at the church and driving away, I noticed a nicely dressed woman standing at the bus stop near the church. In the sky above our heads, the clouds were dark and ominous. I could see the rain coming.
I drove past the woman thinking about how wet she was going to get - standing there on the sidewalk in her nice clothes and shoes. I became worried for her. Sad for her.
I turned the corner at the stop light and then made the quick decision to turn again back into the church parking lot. I drove near the woman standing at the bus stop, rolled my passenger side window down and gestured for her to come over. When she approached the car, I reached over and handed her an umbrella I had stashed in the pocket of my door. "Here - take this umbrella," I insisted, "You are going to get soaked."
The woman smiled and thanked me. She went on, maybe too long, about how generous I was to take the time to stop and help her. I drove off and as I turned onto the street and headed towards my house, the sky opened up and the rain poured down.
I don't know if this one event affected this woman's life in any significant way - maybe it did - maybe it did not. What I do know is how this event affected mine. I was the person that crossed this woman's path on this one day, and she mine and ... when I stopped my life for just one moment, to see her ... I was forced to make a decision. The decision I made was - to help her and ... I will always remember that red umbrella and the smile it put on a stranger's face.
I have lots of umbrellas.
That creamed corn that I love is not significant in the scheme of things, but ... it makes me happy when I eat it. It's sweet and smooth. It's especially delicious and I am affected somehow, every time I enjoy it.
I hope I live to be 80 years old. I hope I never have to be a Mack truck driver to make a living. I hope I am able to enjoy lots of new foods in the course of the rest of my life and ... I hope I remember to stop my life every now and then to acknowledge the people that cross my path. The events that unravel. The words spoken with meaning and especially those uttered quietly.
I need to remember that life is full of opportunity and gifts and I need to remind myself - like I suggested to my little son - to keep my eyes and mind wide open. Keep my vision clear and my awareness sharp and ... not to blink.