As my age begins to increase, I find that I’ve been thinking more about how my goals are changing. Or, not changing. Do all older people find themselves in this situation? Do we rethink our lives and, as that saying goes, regret those things more that we didn’t do than those that we did?
By now, you all should know that I love – yes, love – sayings. Sayings in Chinese fortune cookies. Sayings that are comments from famous people. Sayings from my mother. Sayings that come from kids. I love sayings. So, I’ve included a few here for fun. Truth be told – most of them come from an internet source. Sometimes, I think that reading them and knowing them may influence how I live my life and what plans I make for the future.
Who said this: “There are two moments in life; those you miss and those you seize.” Although, this notion has been credited to the famous wit Oscar Wilde AND the prominent playwright George Bernard Shaw, I have not been able to verify that information. That does not, however, take away its importance.
I am the one who’s in charge of the direction in which my life will go. (Well, me and God, actually.) Thus, I can choose to sit idly by while things happen around me, or I can take charge and shape the events the way I see fit.
First, from my mother (mother of five daughters that she taught to be strong, capable, and independent). She often would say about some choice made by another person … “Their taste must all be in their mouth.” I find that I use that expression a lot!
Here are a few more saying to think about.
“To be alive is to make choices. Every day that passes, nay, every moment that passes, choices must be made. Many of those choices seem relatively insignificant. On the surface, they appear to not have any real bearing on how our lives will turn out, especially in the long run. However, oftentimes, many of those seemingly small choices, do in-fact influence in a great way the trajectories of our lives.”
Unknown author.
“It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”
Tony Robbins, motivational speaker with an interesting background that you may want to read.
“The future depends on what you do today.”
Mahatma Gandhi; we all probably know this giant in history.
The next two are similar sayings:
“Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.”
Wayne Dyer, another motivational speaker.
“Life is not a dress rehearsal. Every day, you should seize at least one exquisite moment.”
Sally Karioth, expert on grief, trauma, stress, and compassion fatigue.
“If you wait, all that happens is that you get older.”
Larry McMurtry, American novelist, essayist, and screen writer.
“Forever is composed of nows.”
Emily Dickinson, American poet.
“We are living in a time bursting with opportunity while laden with risk! So seize the moment! There is no greater risk than complacency!”
Daren Martin, Canadian actor, singer/song writer.
“Some things in life are like ice cream — they are only good for a while, and then, they melt. The trick is enjoying it and making the most of it while it’s still ice cream.”
Anonymous
“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the ‘Titanic’ who waved off the dessert cart.”
Erma Bombeck, American humorist and writer.
“Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.”
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States.
“Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand — and melting like a snowflake.”
Francis Bacon, English lawyer, statesman, philosopher.
“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead; tomorrow hasn’t arrived, yet. So I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”
Groucho Marx, American comedian.
“You’re worried about how you’re going to feel at the end of your life? What about right now? Live. Right at this moment. That’s where the joy is.”
Abigail Thomas, writer.
“When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection. So use every moment.”
A.W. Tozer, American missionary.
“Seize the moments of happiness, love, and be loved. That is the only reality in the world; everything else is folly.”
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Russian author.
“Each moment is a place you’ve never been.”
Mark Strand, Canadian-born American poet, essayist and translator
“I held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dropped it carelessly! Ah! I didn’t know, I held opportunity.”
Hazel Ying Lee, American pilot and the first Chinese-American woman to fly for the U.S. military.
Time was that I was able to be at the Denver Gem and Mineral Guild annual show and sale. February of each year found me at the entrance of the show, guiding guests, talking with them about the show. Always talking. When a child presented, we talked about the geodes; those roundish rocks that had blown out of a volcano so many eons ago. I encouraged the children, if their parents permitted, to purchase one and have the geode cracker do his magic, splitting the geode into two parts. I asked the kids to bring their geode back to me and show me what they had found. Many of them did. Together, we looked at the opened geode, using a flashlight to illuminate the crystals inside. I was able to tell the children that “they were the first – the first first person – to ever see what was inside of that geode. No one else had ever looked inside.” Children like being the first.
Life happens, and I no longer am able to be at that desk talking with guests. I am, however, able to be at my office desk, writing. And, writing. And, writing . . . I find that my desk is almost always cluttered with papers, books, pens, eye glasses, a calculator. Those things necessary for this work; I sometimes lose something. And, I think that one of my most favorite sayings (that I actually put on a needlepoint canvas) is: “Those proud of keeping an orderly desk, never know the thrill of finding something they thought they had irretrievably lost!” This is a quote from Helen Exley, an independent giftbook publisher, London.
A second favorite is “If a clean desk is the sign of a clean mind, tell me what an empty desk is the sign of.” (Adapted from Albert Einstein, German physicist.) I think about half of the people in this nation would be an example of this in these times. (Yes, I know that’s political. And, I promised no politics. I just couldn’t help it. So, don’t remind me of my promise.)
What is my future going to bring? I know that I want to “seize the moments,” given appropriate opportunities. I think, however, my one single goal for the year 2025 is to wake every morning, look out of my bedroom window, and see either snow (it’s winter, you know) or the grass – and not the roots. I’ll know I’m on the right side.
And, that will happen – God willin’ and the creek don’t rise.
Be Safe and Be Well
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are appreciated.