Breathe. Breathe in a nd breathe deeply. Be present. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.
On a crystal clear, breezy seventy-degree day, roll down the windows and feel the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.
If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool autumn day to freeze your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be alive.
Get knee-deep in a novel and lose track of time.
If you bike, pedal hard...and if you crash, then crash well.
Feel the satisfaction of a job well done-a paper well written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well performed.
I you must wipe the snot from your three-year old's nose, don't be disgusted if the Kleenex didn't reach it all...because soon he'll be wiping his own.
If you've recently experienced loss, then grieve. And grieve well.
At the table with friends and family, laugh. If you're eating and laughing at the same time, the you might as well laugh until you puke. And if you eat, then smell. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven. And taste. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of life. Because it is most definitely a gift.
I apologize if I should not have reprinted this. I just thought it was spectacular.
