I began a recent set of posts of my trip to Indonesia and more will continue shortly. I returned from Indonesia and decided to take my family on weekend vacation. We popped down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The rain awoke me around 6 this morning as I was actually sleeping in. I strolled down the hall of the hotel, sat and enjoyed some breakfast and then returned to the room sipping on coffee. As I peered out of the window, a memory hit me from nowhere. Beads of rain clung to the window and it was clouded by the cool air of the air conditioner inside and the warm morning summer outside. The criss-cross of the panes in the window and the air conditioner unit under the window at the floor blowing upward reminded me of a nursing home in which I once took care of some wonderful people.
I began my early adulthood working in a nursing home, gaining experience as I pursued a lifetime career in medicine. This window pane and air conditioner unit must have been similar to what I recall from the facility. I remember seeing people at what presumably was the end of their life. For what ever reason, be it health, the inability of the family to care for the loved one or lack of family in the area, or personal decision, these individuals were living in a care facility. In my nineteen year old eyes, each person there was at the end of their life.
I noticed a sticker on the window that has the words “Window Does Not Open”. These words quickly frightened me this morning. We are faced with only so much time on this earth. We know not how long. Each of us are like a Create-Your-Own-Adventure book. We can choose daily what we will do and how we will live our lives.
I am a highly driven person. I have two speeds. Sleep and Go. For those of you who have been following my blog, you may have noticed I like to travel. I enjoy seeing new places, experiencing different cultures, sharing a respect for those I meet, gleefully trip over languages and laugh at myself and with the locals at my near attempt to pronounce new sounds. I love to take photographs so that others may enjoy a bit of the pleasure I experienced.
This window in my room reminded me of the finality of our lives. I don’t want to be kept in a room, I don’t want to be harbored in the corner of a life waiting for the nurse to bring me a cup of water or to clean up my backside. I know people who live their lives sitting on a couch with a remote control in hand getting all tied up in sports, soap operas, or other nightly shows that they “just have to watch”. I enjoy a few shows out there, true but do not feel so firmly attached that my life would end if I missed an episode.
This window is symbolic of the window in my life. I enjoy getting out there, I enjoy getting dirty, wet, hot, cold, and tired.
I wake each morning, driven to do better than the day before. I truly want to make each day better than the last. Most days are not full of travel and excitement. Most days are driving into work. helping people fix their problems (most of which were caused by the very individual) and returning home to my loving family to help with homework or to help take the kids to some other event.
I love to travel and experience life and want my family to experience the same. I hope my kids are bitten by the travel bug and are driven to excel in their endeavors.
Life is short. Life should be enjoyed, not wasted. I wish you all the best. I am headed out to the beach, though it is raining and tomorrow I return to work. Today, I shall enjoy.
Make It Fun!
God Bless You.