Carpe Diem

What if you woke up and decided..."Today is the day!"  Fulfill a dream, conquer a fear, or try something new. What would you choose?  Just like snowflakes, each person will have a different answer.  It may be a hard working couple in Ohio that finally starts saving for a much-needed vacation, a lady in West Virginia that decides to go on a date after being single a long time, or a man in South Carolina that hasn't been fishing in years.  Abraham Lincoln once said, "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.  It's the life in your years."  Why not now, why not today? 

As I write this I admit that I took this photo, safe on the sand while a brave soul parasails over the ocean.  Yes, I am afraid of heights- and that makes me scared to ride the Sky Wheel in Myrtle Beach, roller coasters, and certain parasailing.  But, I also used to be afraid of falling off a bicycle; earlier this year I not only tried it, but fell in love!  I thought about my fear, took the time to learn the mechanics of balance, took a deep breath and hopped on. I suppose my fear of heights could be approached the same way.

The world is filled with folks that are risk takers, bold people that seize each day and squeeze the joy ouf of every moment.  For the rest of us, the ones that prefer to wade in slowly rather than dive in the ocean of possiblities, perhaps all it takes is a little encouragement. Maybe we all need to be more like children that wake up each morning ready to play...as grown ups, we have to remind ourselves that play is good for our soul, too. Today is a reminder to do just that.  What do YOU choose?