We hear it all the time. Don’t wait ’til tomorrow to say I love you; I forgive you; I’ve been a better person because of you; what I’ve most appreciated about you; how you’ve gifted my life…because we never know if we’re going to get tomorrow. We know this . . . but we don’t—until we’re caught in a pandemic. Recently, my heart, quite tenderly, settled on the knowing that, should I get sick and need to be quarantined, I could die without ever seeing my family and all those I love again. Now, interestingly, it is not the dying part that bothers me half as much as the Oh no!!! I wish I had told them…part.
So, I’ve decided not to wait. I’ve started making notes I’m calling 7 Things . . . 7 Things I Love about You . . . 7 Sweet Memories of You . . . 7 Things I Appreciate about You… I’m not sure how I landed on 7 but there it is. But I can tell you that it’s the sweetest thing on the planet to be writing them. It’s like, finally, I’m doing the most important thing . . . that very thing that answers that proverbial question, What would you do if you knew you only had a day, month, year to live?
Far from feeling like doomsday or some self–fulfilling prophesy, (News Flash: We’re all going at some point and none of us know when!) I feel so very happy, at peace, and truly in love when I’m writing these notes—especially to those where things have felt unclear, unresolved or in any way strained or broken. In these cases, as I’m pulling out of me what I love most or appreciate about them, I remember it’s not important that they love me. It’s only important that I love them. Sometimes, the process has sent me to my prayer mat to practice forgiving myself. Only then can I write from a clean and loving heart. It’s not easy. It takes time. Yet, it does set my heart at peace.
7 things that fill my heart to overflowing . . .
7 things that help me to remember what it truly means to live . . .
7 things that crack my heart open to love others and myself unconditionally . . .
7 things that set my soul free . . .
Thank you, Coronavirus.
PS: Many of you reading this know of my grandson Sean who has autism. Thought I’d share the one I recently made for him…
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