To get a sobering perspective on Life, spend a couple of days in an Assisted Living facility, as I have the past couple days.  Fortunately, I’m just visiting, but maybe that’s what they all say?  It’s undoubtedly hard for them to understand why “Life’s Path” has taken them here.  Certainly there are worse options than prepared meals, clean surroundings, and helpful service, but you can also get that at any McDonald’s.   My 95 year old mother-in-law is getting her affairs in order, and still worried about having enough money!  Obviously, there’s no end to that!  She has enough in investments, pensions, and social security to easily live for another 15 years, but she’s worried about living 20?  Now that’s being optimistic about Life!

It costs us at least $15,000, plus some supplemental financial support, and a considerable amount of my wife’s precious vacation time, to visit her four times a year.  It also takes a big chunk out of our own retirement nest egg.  I’m just glad that she continues to do well, but this whole experience makes me want to expand a bit on singer-songwriter, Bonnie Raitt’s wisdom from my last post.  Bonnie is two years older than I am, born in 1949.  She’s a California girl from Burbank and her bluesy, soothing voice make you listen carefully.: “Life gets mighty precious when there’s less of it to waste.”  I can see a lot of wasted time going on around me, but hopefully all these lives are precious to someone, and that each is personally satisfied with the Life they have lived.

There are Life preservers, Life savers, Life-lines, Life jackets, Life boats, Life support, even Life councilors to help us make informed “Life Choices.”  None of us get nine Lives like a cat, we only get but “One Life to Live.”  There are choices – we can sit idly, let Life pass us by, or even wish Life away.  We’re not participants in a video game where you can buy an extra Life or give it to a friend.  It’s your Life, your story,  and yours to control.  You can continue to wait for a “Lifetime” or be a “Lover of Life.” today. Ultimately, we don’t even know if there’s “Life after Death” or “Eternal Life,” so why not lead the “Good Life,” or at least embrace the “Joy of Life.”

We hold up protest signs that say, “Any Life Matters,” knowing that offenders will get Life without parole for taking a black, white, brown, yellow, or any other color of human or animal Life.  Perhaps they could “Spare a Life,” instead?  On the other extreme we can give our Life for our country, or even bring a Life into the world.  However, there’s nothing worse than losing your Life for a senseless act of violence, or in a premature manner as you frantically watch your Life flash in front of your eyes.  As I continue to add chapters to the “Story of my Life,” I’ve been blessed to find the “Love of my Life,” am having the “Time of my Life,”  and only pray  that there’s enough time left to continue “Spreading my Love of Life.”

Scouts can earn a “Family Life” merit badge, and our scholars can  study Life Sciences, Alien Life forms, and the deep subject of Ocean Life.  We can show our loyalty with Lifetime Memberships, perhaps extend our Life with exercise at Life Time Fitness, buy family security with Life Insurance from New York Life, protect our identities through Lifelock, help the American Cancer Society save Lives through the Relay For Life, fight body-odor with Lifebuoy soap, and eat Life Cereal for breakfast because Mikey Likes It!  (Yes he does)

We can search for the “Meaning of Life,” in the “Book of Life,” “Life” magazine, or on the “Lifetime” channel,  but as we continue to roll the dice in the “Game of Life,”  learn something “Life-Changing” and promise not to grow “Lifeless” and uncaring.  Instead, be the “Life of the Party” and lead the “Life of Riley,” enjoying the comforts of a prosperous home Life.   Whether you laugh along at the “Life of Brian,” or find it blasphemous, remember that freedom of expression is an important part of Life.  And, when Ralph Edwards announces, “This Is Your Life,” be glad that you lived a Life worth sharing.  Finally, use your “Life Savings” for a worthy cause, choose a philanthropic Lifestyle, and whatever you do, don’t let Life bite you in the Butt!

There’s no Life like yours.  It’s “precious” no matter what age you are now.  It’s important to reflect on our lives and try to find Life’s purpose.  The “Good Life” is certainly mine in these early years of retirement, and I want to share these moments through my words.  Life is defined as existence, and the word “Life” certainly exists in many forms within our vocabulary.  I’ve referenced many of these uses throughout this article, to show how overused this precious word really is in our society.   Living means breathing – so make the most of each breath:

 

“In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away” – Shing Xiong