Taking The Time…
I had already planned my product video review for this mornings blog post and then I opened up my email to find this:
A sad note regarding loss in the HealthBlogger Network
I’m saddened to announce that a young and beautiful member of the HealthBlogger network recently passed away. Shawndra Turner was just 32 years old when she lost her very valiant and courageous battle with colon cancer. Shawndra wrote an inspired blog (http://www.shawndraturner.blogspot.com ) that chronicled her journey, and demonstrated what an incredible spirit she has. In her last posting on March 3, she wrote “Thank you all for your continuous support you give my family. I believe it is getting closer to the end of this journey and we are going into it blindly, trying not to fear but to give up our control and take it day by day … love you all. Shawndra”
I visited her blog and seeing her smiling face and knowing that she had to die at such a young age, it really shook me. I can’t even imagine all the thoughts that were going through her head of all the things that she had done in her short life, but mostly what she wished she would have done. Did she have any regrets?
I honestly think this email couldn’t have come at a better time in my life. I have been feeling overwhelmed with all the things that I have to do on a daily basis and even my husband said to me this morning, ” I know you have lots to do, but you need to just slow down and relax some.” And he is totally right. I get so worked up about things, stress myself out so much, I am totally missing out on LIFE!
We haven’t taken a vacation in almost a year. Sad, because I really cherish those times and also use the to get reguvinated. I used to talk to my mom and sister at least on a weekly basis and now I hardly talk to them every weeks or once a month. Friends? Who has time for friends? I do h ave a weekly coffee date with one of my clients, but other than that, nothing. I haven’t even talked to any of my friends who live far away and if they do email me, it takes me forever to get back to them, if I even do. Why? I don’t really know..but it is sad. To think that some day, might be my last and that I never stopped to smell the roses or never got in touch with that one person who means so much to me, all because I was too busy.
I have made some decisions in the past year that have truly made me so much happier, but also in doing that, I have taken on so many things that I don’t even know where to focus. I have also lost track of whats really important, my marriage, my family and friends and most of all me.
I don’t want to have any regrets and most of all I want to enjoy each day and every moment, with whatever it brings me..so here I am today..showing you that I am human, I do struggle with many different things and thanks to this one email, today is the day that I will take the time…..
Angie Schumacher is a Certified Fitness Professional who trains clients in her home and is a Women's Boot Camp Instructor in Colorado. She is the author of The Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program and has offered a one stop website to help you with all of your health and fitness needs. Please visit www.BuildingABetterU.com to find exactly what you are looking for!
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Angie I just took a moment to read Shawndra’s blog and I am now typing this with tears running down my face. What an amazing woman to chronicle her illness so candidly. Thank you for posting this as a wake up call to all of us who still have time – unlike Shawndra – to take a long, hard look at what we truly value in life. Because where, on what, and with whom we choose to spend our time says a lot about what we value. Your blog entry really resonated with me because I, too, like to think that I deeply value my family and friends. But yet, I don’t spend nearly as much time cultivating those relationships as I do on other things that – while important – are probably not AS important in the grand scheme of things. Thank you (and Shawndra) for this reminder. Now the challenge for me is to take this reminder and DO something about it.
Angie – I am sorry for the loss of your friend. She was a gift in your life and now through your sharing, mine.
I can totally relate to where you’re at right now … Just this morning I told my father that I would not take on anything new until my “Do this Week”, “Do Next Week” and “Current Project” Files were empty and all my calendar commitments handled. 5 minutes later a friend called to ask if I wanted to help her catch feral cats tonight … I had to say NO. An hour ago another friend asked if I wanted to join a “get together” tonight and I had to say NO! (I’ve had a very social week and those taxes still are not done …)
Anyway I am having a surgery on the 24th of this month. That has given me a special focus! I need less on my plate so that I can have time to take care of me and live gently for a spell. I think that is a way of living that I haven’t experienced in awhile and will be a special gift and memory years from now.
Take care. Thanks for sharing.
Viveca
P.S. Your website looks GREAT! Well done.
Vivecas last blog post..Poll Results — When Are You Most Tired?