Reflections: Cherishing each day

"Life!" exclaimed a woman at the funeral home. Her husband had just died. This friend of mine had not expected such a sudden change in life yet. Life indeed deals out some difficult blows. As I ponder the rhythms of life, I'm attempting to take the advice I read in a book: "Cherish each day like it was your last, then all your days will be special."

The only time we are assured of is that which we are momentarily living. However, it's often hard to see the forest for all the trees. If it were easier, one would appreciate and enjoy what he's doing now because the constant struggle and clutter would go unnoticed.

When children grow up, parents usually can't remember all the special moments. This is because, when their children were being reared, parents were so occupied working, socializing or caretaking, they missed many of the genuinely important things. Grandparents usually can remember more about the personalities and activities of the grandchildren than their own offspring because they can focus better on the grandchildren. My, what one misses while he's so busy planning for tomorrow. Relish every day. Are taking detours worth neglecting what can't be reclaimed? You never know when your journey will end.

Every day contains special happenings: activities, demonstrations of love, the sound of glee from a child or the innocent explanations of a day at school from a little one. How have we responded to those who've searched our faces? Did we show approval, scorn or indifference toward what they were trying to say? Have we even listened at all? Hopefully those seekers of companionship, approval or love, for even a fleeting moment, received an encouraging reply from us. If we lived like it was our last chance to show them how much they mattered, there would be no question as to how we answered their queries or statements. Most of us would give them all the love we could and hope they would realize their importance in our life.

All our days and activities can be special if we open our eyes and ears to what's truly there. As I stopped in at the nursing home last week to see a relative, the person from the laundry brought clean clothes into the room where I was visiting. She said they do laundry all day and that they "like to keep things clean for our residents." And the woman seemed to take pride in that accomplishment. Rather than complaining about what many would consider drudgery, she was fulfilled in that act of kindness and love. Her days were special when she thought about her contribution to the well-being of those who were unable to fend for themselves.

Sunrise, midday and sunset signify the wheels of life. We're born, strive to make our mark during middle age, then our life winds down and stops. The enigma of the cycle is that one never knows when his sunset will occur. Don't put off doing what makes your days joyful and noticing what's valuable.

The season of Christmas, because Christ was born, gives human beings a reason to cherish each day and make it special. "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:25-26)

Ellen Shuck holds degrees in psychology, religious education and spiritual direction and provides spiritual direction to people at her office.