Why I should not forget to send birthday cards

I recently missed another birthday. My nephew Jim turned 15 and I did not send a card. That is not unusual for me nowadays. When I was newly married - and for the first 10 or 12 years I remembered all the birthdays and sent cards, made the phone calls, etc. As I became busier and the family grew larger I began to forget, send belated wishes...and eventually went to nothing...which is where I am now. It is not that I do not think about the people - I do. I think of Jimmy and how he must feel to become 15...nearly an adult in his eyes, I'm sure.

Part of it might be that I still have such a hard time believing that HE IS 15...Good grief! - He was just 4 last week! That means that time has passed and everything is older...including me. How did that happen?

So - yeah. I am selfish.

You know what? I am tired of being selfish.

On my deathbed what am I going to think about?
Work? Nope.
How clean the kitchen is? No way.
How old I am? Probably not.
How much I love everyone? Yup.
How I screwed up? Yup
Regrets? Um hmm.
What I would do if I had just 1 more year?
Most definitly

So-
Perhaps living life as if you only have a year left would be a good thing to do. Sort of. I don't want to make us go broke with too much living - BUT within reason - I think that is a grand idea!

What IS important to me? People. My people especially. Loving them, showing them I love them, receiving love. Yup - I really like this idea.

What is the purpose of life? Many answers here, depending upon your philosophy, your spirit.
I recently overheard a conversation regarding this subject and it seems basically sound...even the scientists would approve. All life wants to make a copy of itself. Look at molecules, look at all living things. Always reproducing. Okay. So I made (with some help) my copies. My copies have grown into adults. Now perhaps my job turns to carrying on traditions, nurturing a community of family. Caring for my grandcopies eventually.

I used to think I wanted to do and be something grand and important in this life. And you know what? I did and I am. Small and unimportant in the world's eyes - is large in the human scheme of things. There really is not enough family love in these United States. Our families need to be nurtured. Children need to learn love - they need to learn to be decent and caring. Those things are taught. It is the basis of the whole world! Imagine if the war mongers had had loving families...how different life might be. Yes, yes --- there is more to it than just a good Mommy, but I know it would not hurt and I think it would make life better.

This blog has evolved into something much more philosophical than I thought it would be. Wow.

So now I will send Jim a belated birthday card and make my apologies...
I will also update my calendar and get back to the important things in life. People.





"Live like you'll die tomorrow and dream like you'll live forever".
James Dean