What does it take?

The past week and a half, I have been on a break from school and most all responsibility, coming to the end of a season and semester, and it's refreshing to hold a joyful disposition that is unlikely to diminish due to stress or inconvenience. I know as I get older these momentary moments of recess will become more uncommon and and that's a tad worrisome, considering I like myself better this way.

On my temporary vacation, I read a novel entitled "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova about a successful, older then middle-aged woman with a husband, grown-up children, and, being a successful professor and researcher at Harvard University, Alice drowning in the responsibilities of her status. In the midst of her overwhelmingly hectic life, this woman is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, making this story one that reveals the result of life coming to a startling halt.

I don't think I've faced dissonance in my simple, easy existence to start drastically living my life differently, however, after reading this book, the importance of living fully is ringing within. What would I do if I was dying? Many have faced this question, and if you haven't, you probably haven't thought too hard, or you're 12 years old... because I don't think I thought of these things when I was 12 years old, either.

I did think about what I wanted to be for Halloween, and when I was 12, it happened to be a cheerleader. Oh, to be young again...

It's difficult to know what it means to live to our full potential.

It could be learning, growing, and accomplishing. 

What about selflessly serving, giving, loving? Thinking? Or praying, meditating? Engaging? Separating?

How can you balance a desire to seek moments of stopping and sharing experience or dwelling in quiet when there are things to do, bills to pay?

Like the unlikeliness to live Thanksgiving-break style all of the time,  it doesn't seem probable to live like I am facing my last days, making links like these hard to read -----> It's a Bucket List, you don't have time for this!   based on the fact that I have to convince myself that I have the time to think, read, and inspire myself enough to write these posts. 

Quite possibly the balance is in the simple opportunities, these thanksgiving-break styled moments of relaxation and good company.

The ability to say "yes" to things that may conflict with our scheduled agenda.

Every Monday morning I wake up thinking "back to reality!" but I don't necessarily want my reality to be those busy, busy Mondays. What I need is a reality shift, making my Mondays balance with the break days, looking for those opportunities and allowing myself to take them: to slow down.... because I don't want to live a story as the character that starts to really live once they're dying.