Me?

Pessimism has never been my bag, it just serves no purpose. Now with kids, and knowing how fleeting time really is, I want to waste as little time as possible. The last three years have been an exercise in cutting away all which does not enrich, no more time-sucks that create tension, no more friends that take, take take and a whole lot more things that bring joy, create memories and add meaning.

There have been bright times and others not so bright, but through it all, we've been confident in knowing that we've been on the right path. I mentioned the other day that the path has been curving, reaching toward a new horizon that brought the promise of incredible opportunity. Today brought a new vantage, a perspective that unveils more than one way.

I am sitting in front of the fire, laptop balancing on my crossed legs and Briar asleep beside me. Her right hand is touching my leg, open as if inviting me to take it in my own. Her face is turned away from me and tendrils of hairs lap at her neck like lazy, late afternoon surf. She slipped off to sleep as I rubbed her back with my left hand while my right hand typed a press release. Bits of light skip energetically off the ornaments as the cat makes a lazy pass beneath the Christmas tree. Avery is upstairs asleep, a Backyardigans book I read to her earlier, clutched in her arm.

I'm just off the phone with promise who spoke to chance, unbelievably just this morning hope and faith sat in my living room. I am simply without words, battling the urge to question why this has all happened, how I might have deserved this and if there is anything I need to do to prevent the other shoe from dropping. I literally ache with wonder and gratitude and excitement. A moment of tearful thanks on my knees and I'm off, this is my life, and it's nipping at me to soar higher.



I turned on the evening news
Saw an old man being interviewed
Turnin' 102 today.
Asked him what's the secret to life
He looked up from his old pipe
Laughed and said all I can say is:

Don't blink,
Just like that you're six years old
And you take a nap
And you wake up and you're 25
Then your high school sweetheart becomes your wife.
Don't blink,
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turnin' into moms and dads
Next thing you know your better half of 50 years
Is there in bed and you're prayin' God takes you instead
Trust me friend, 100 years goes faster than you think
So don't blink.

Well, I was glued to my T.V.
When it looked like he looked at me
And said, "You best start puttin' first things first."
'Cause when your hour glass runs out of sand
You can't flip it over and start again
Take every breath God gives you for what it's worth.

Don't blink,
Just like that you're six years old
And you take a nap
And you wake up and you're 25
Then your high school sweetheart becomes your wife.
Don't blink,
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turnin' into moms and dads
Next thing you know your better half of 50 years
Is there in bed and you're prayin' God takes you instead
Trust me friend, 100 years goes faster than you think
So don't blink.

So, I've been trying to slow it down.
I've been tryin' to take it in.
In this here today gone tomorrow world we're living in
So...

Don't blink,
Just like that you're six years old
And you take a nap
And you wake up and you're 25
Then your high school sweetheart becomes your wife.
Don't blink,
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turnin' into moms and dads
Next thing you know your better half of 50 years
Is there in bed and you're prayin' God takes you instead
Trust me friend, 100 years goes faster than you think
So don't blink.

No, don't blink.
Don't blink.
Life goes faster than you think, so don't blink.
Life goes faster than you think. Don't blink
Don't blink
Life goes faster than you think...