.

puzzle pieces

Monday, November 15, 2010

No Guarantees


~John W. Gardner~
~~~~~~

This morning a man woke up and got ready for work.
He hopped in to his vehicle and drove away from his home.

It was raining, and the rain was turning to ice on the roads.
Somehow....the ice became deadly, and that man will never go home to his family again.

I don't know this man.
I only know that it didn't happen too far from here.
And I know that someone lost something today they will never get back.

~~~~
I'm sorry to start a new week off with somber thoughts....but this struck me hard today.

Some where out there today is a grieving family.
They had no idea this morning would be their last with him.

What were the final words spoken?
What will their last memory be of him?

~~~~~~
I once heard a story of a man who lived in a very tumultuous country.
Freedom did not exist.
Everything you held dear or believed in could be snatched from you without explanation.
Even your life.

He woke up every morning, got ready for work, and before he left he hugged and kissed his children and wife good-by, with tears 
streaming down his face and a prayer on his lips.
He never knew if this would be the day he wouldn't come home.
~~~~~

Makes you stop and wonder how you want to leave your house in the morning.
Or how you want to say goodbye to those who are walking out the door.

No....I don't want to live in fear or worry.
Not at all.
What I do want is to not take every  moment for granted.
And use every opportunity I am given to show those in my life I love them.


We need to live like there are no tomorrows.
There are no guarantees in this life, but the choices we choose to make.
Choose wisely today.

Every moment is a gift.
~~~~~~~~~~~


28 comments:

Lynette Jacobs said...

So true. Live every day to the full with no regrets...that is my aim. I don't always reach this;-D

Jimmy said...

So true my Friend, you never know when it will all come to an end and you will be called home, live life with no worries but at the same time be thankful for each moment.

Leah J. Utas said...

Wise words. The world can change in a moment.

Rambling said...

Very true. Too often we get too busy and grumpy.

Out on the prairie said...

We never do know. At a cafe listening to two farmers talking and the younger friend said he had work to do and had to leave to do that. The older gent said there was always tommorrow, except for one day in your life. I liked his ideal.

Hope said...

your words speak truths
but you can't help but think how important the people in your life are.
thank you Dawn

Jordanna said...

Oh my goodness, my heart breaks for that family. You are so right Dawn. What a good reminder to never be too busy to miss the moments. I love your heart. Be careful out in that ice!

TexWisGirl said...

Thanks for the great reminder - a good start to the week, actually - to remind us to express the love we have in our hearts NOW before it is too late. :)

Amelia said...

I am so sorry to hear this story, and yet it is such a valid reminder to treat every moment as so precious . . . .

Amelia.x

Anonymous said...

Dawn...your words have touched me deeply today...you speak words of great truth...we just never know
thank you for this sober reminder, I invite it!
you words will stay with me today...

love and light

Alli said...

Just Wednesday of last week a man from my home church passed away. He was probably in his 50s and he has three children (the oldest isn't out of high school yet). It broke my heart to hear it. I'm sorry for the loss that your neighbors are going through.

Anonymous said...

I live as if today were the only day I have left on the planet. I always tell those I love, I love you (and mean it), I say words of kindness to strangers/co-workers.. We never know when our time for leaving the planet will arrive.. Me, I want to know I did it right..

This is a wonderful.. truly wonderful post as a gentle reminder to us all..
Thank you Miss Dawn:-)

~*~ saskia ~*~ said...

Wow, you've really touched me with your wonderful wise words! What can I say, I'm happy to have met another lovely lady, happy to receiving these beautiful glimpses in your daily life, sweet Dawn.
Love to you xxxx

Michelle said...

Wonderful post, so true, and well written!

sassyshoediary said...

I really needed to hear this today - thank you!

Nancy said...

When your spouse works in a dangerous occupation, you really don't know if you will see them at the end of the day. I take nothing for granted -- it could all be changed by a heartbeat.

Thanks for the reminder -- we get stuck in ruts now and again and forget how wonderful it is to live life each day as if it were our last. :)

Patrice said...

Good post!

Carole Barkett said...

very good reminder this is so true and you need only lose someone close by accident once before you remember this.

Rick said...

A very thought-provoking post Dawn. Something that needs to be on our hearts constantly. A reminder to live life consciously!

A quote from my mother: "we are all only 1 heartbeat away from eternity !"

Jo said...

Dawn, I love your heart-full tree. :) And the pay it forward thing is so cool.

This post, though, made me think of the birth of my niece. On the hour of her birth, I stood at her hospital window and watched a family gather outside on the sidewalk below. They had obviously lost a family member and they were all crying and holding eachother. I watched them with tears in my eyes. Just as we had gained a loved one, they had lost one. I'm literally crying just thinking about it. That moment stayed with me for a long time. I prayed for that family for a few years after that day. Yes, years. Life is such a fragile thing. It would be nice if we all realized what an impact every one of our actions has on the world we live in. Maybe we would all be a little more thankful and content. Thanks for the reminder.

Joyti said...

Sad, but there is beauty in the truthfulness of this post. We should appreciate our loved one and all the lovely things in our lives, and too often we forget that...

Discovery Street said...

wow...sometimes all we need is a little perspective to help us pull our heads out of our butts huh?

Liesl said...

You know,I do think about this every day,when we go to bed at night and when we wake up in the morning,I say thank you Lord..We live in a violent country,people on farms have died and still die all around us. Yesterday three black guys drove into my yard and I got a panicky feeling about them,didn't show it off course,but defnitely something was not "right" My huge greyhound helped them back in their car and jumped on it helping them out of the yard lickety split..I like him a lot more now!

Kerri Farley said...

Very thought provoking! I do try to live as each moment is a gift ... my parents are aging and any time i get to spend with them is a blessing. Very sad for the family that lost their loved one :(

Barbie said...

Dawn, I just got the shivers so bad reading this post. We all get so caught up in the ridiculousness of life and forget what turly matters most - and they are the small things (hello's, goodbye's, good morning's, goodnight's, a gentle touch, a loving gaze). This really made me stop and think. Thankyou

Pat Tillett said...

Great photos and even better words.
I really try to live like that. I'm not always doing it, but I try...

sage said...

I love that top photo

Melissa A said...

You are so right. I think about that sometimes when my husband leaves the house or when I used to drop my son off at school. Now I just text him sometimes and tell him that I love him. At least I will have the peace knowing that I have told them how much they are loved by me.