“Until I am dead, I am alive.” is a statement in a book by one of my favorite characters. He goes on to say, “Life is a riddle… It is filled with clues along the way, with messages we struggle to understand.” Aren’t those powerful concepts? So many people are walking around consumed by the negative and positive impacts on their lives. Consumed but not involved. There are schedules to be kept, people to meet, deadlines to be accomplished, places to go… But the real question is – where is the life?
Does the opening quote resonate with you? Does it describe your philosophy of life? Sad to say, many people have no idea what being alive is for themselves. They get so caught up in the day-to-day need to survive they don’t ‘have time’ for the joys of life. Then there are those who seem to drift through life and bend with every wind that blows. To me, those two approaches to life have no zest in them, basically because you are a party to what’s happening rather than an engager, a director.
My definition of alive means being fully in the moment. And that means experiencing to the fullest whatever is happening, even if that is only reading a book or sitting quietly listening to music or… It doesn’t discount making plans or remembering the past but the focus is on the moment, the now. All the senses are attuned to what is happening and what you are doing.
But that might not be your definition. What is being alive to you? How does it flavor your day? At the end of the day how do you know that your definition has been active? Because it really is important. As I’ve said before, you need to be the director in your play, you need to be the star of the production.
