Note to self....

Since travelling overseas when I was 16 I have tried to live by the 'carpe diem' philosophy. I think my parents instilled this idea long before this trip but it was visiting Russia only a few weeks after the collapse of communism that really brought it home to me. In my sheltered little world I had never seen abject poverty or really realised that people went hungry or without shelter. My eyes were opened and I returned to high school with a new outlook in life. My classmates seemed so trivial with their worries about clothes and possessions. Complaining that the lunch their mothers made was disgusting and throwing it in the bin. I felt isolated by this experience. It's hard to explain to someone with no first hand experience of how terrible life can be and how we often take things for granted. It helped shape the person that I am. OK, in no way am I saying that I am always grateful. What I am saying is that I make it a point to try to remember that life is precious and so many things we take for granted are a gift.
So I am reminding myself: Be grateful. Enjoy the moment. Smile. Savour the warmth of your bed, the taste of your food. Enjoy good health when you have it. Love your family and friends. Tell them what they mean to you. Life is too short.

x x x