“It Is A Privilege To Be Alive, But To Live Life To The Fullest ~ Well, That’s A Choice”

~Andy Andrews

Early morning in Corolla, Outer Banks in NC / Taken by the author

Has this ever happened to you?

Upon waking, you stir in bed, still feeling the warmth of your body and the coolness of the air around your face.

Because you can hear the birds outside without opening your eyes, you know you slept in later than usual, which doesn't matter.

You breathe in the moment, and feeling rested comes to mind. After a good night's sleep, you feel excited to get up, and when you do, the carpet welcomes your presence with open arms.

As your hands rise high over your head and clasp together for a slow stretch from one side to the other, you can tell that the body appreciates the calm moves. You notice the breath directing the body to move gently and purposefully, and it feels rejuvenating.

Stepping into the bathroom, you look in the mirror, and instead of turning away, you decide to say good morning to yourself and smile. Your hair has a design that only a bed knows how to perfect, and again, you smile.

You pick up the toothbrush, add toothpaste, and brush; you feel freshness as you remove the plaque from your pearly whites. You brush your tongue, rinse, allow it to run around your clean teeth, and look in the mirror. Again, you receive a light, easy smile.

Then, there is a thought of how hard these teeth have worked all these years, even if we have dentures; what a gift they are. You give them a mental appreciation message for showing up without feeling pain, and you think that the day has barely begun, and you sense it will be great.

You walk into the kitchen, feeling the warmth and coziness in the air. You light a candle with the scent of soft eucalyptus or jasmine, set it on the counter, and drink a full glass of water to wake up the inside of the body. You mentally watch as this water moves through the intricate passageways of the throat, around the lungs, and down through the small intestines. Ahh, Nice!

Then, as you made coffee or tea this morning, you watched as the hot 'liquid gold' poured slowly into the cup in a circular motion, smelled the rich aroma through your senses, and relished in the thought of taking that first sip.

You bring that glowing warm cup to your favorite place of the morning, turn on the news, or open your news app.

After five minutes, you click it off or put it down, deciding that the world is moving too fast and too much to digest first thing this morning. You feel pulled to open a window, and then you do. And then, breathe in the crisp, cool air and tell yourself, "Just for the next few minutes, I allow myself to enjoy what this morning has given me thus far." You close your eyes, take another deep breath, and feel the sense of freedom emerging into peace.

What a perfect way to step onto the foundation of your "today." Yes?

And what if you allowed the day to unfold for the next 24 hours as it will? No need to worry, though. You'll have the rest of the week to be back in the hurriedness of life, although you may decide to change it up a bit more and live the rest of the week differently and with curiosity.

My husband and I have lived next to the woods for almost four years, and the scenario I wrote above is how my day usually starts. Not always, but living here has changed the dynamics of my interactions with life, family, friends, situations, and the daily dramas that life can present to us.

☕️ ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ ☕️

We were in New York City a few weeks ago to see a play about a nightclub singer from the 60s, who I had a crush on in high school and still listen to his music today. His name was Bobby Darin, and his songs told his life's story. We stayed in a high-rise hotel room in Times Square. We were there from Friday early afternoon to mid-morning Sunday, and besides 40-degree temperatures, high winds, and rain the whole time, people were everywhere. We didn't need a car, so we were out in it all.

There were ambulances and sirens throughout the day and night, giant moving advertisements on many buildings, and people working, exploring, and living on the streets.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. The calm backroads drive home from the Charlotte airport restored my peace of mind. As a younger adult, I lived and worked all over San Diego and went to Tijuana often. I sometimes brought the youth to work in shelters in Tijuana and downtown San Diego, and I was fine.

What happened?

I have found that as I've aged, the energy level that can move the world can exhaust me.

Have you ever felt that way?

As I sit in the four-season room, I glance outside and see two bright yellow finches sharing a few sips of water at the bird bath. I can hear the squirrels high up in the trees, telling everyone to beware—the fox is close—and the crows cawing on the alert. It is as though I live in a Nature zoo, feeling the calming gift Nature constantly surrounds us with.

I smile at how the woods have filled themselves with the perfect colors of greens and browns. I can still feel the electrifying, glorious energy throughout my body that I woke up with, excited for this fresh, unspoiled new day because, at this moment, all is well. And this moment is all that matters.

I know; it probably sounds like I sit around all day and stare out into the woods, and the words, "She needs to get a life," move through your thoughts. Yes, life has slowed down a bit, but it is anything but stagnant.😅

After our travels or when family and friends come for a few days, rejuvenation is a requirement to move forward. I honor the times and listen when my energy speaks of space and downtime.

I have a small braided bracelet that my husband gave me over ten years ago; it has the quote by Omar Khayyam that I have worn almost every day since, which says in tiny handwriting,

"Be happy

for this moment.

This moment...

is your life."

These simple words have brought me back many times to the essential truth of importance: that through the challenging, courageous, and joyful life-changing moments, I am to embrace the knowing that it is a privilege to be alive. I choose to take each day as separate, start anew upon waking up, and release it as I prepare for sleep in gratitude for what I have learned.

Thought to Ponder:

So, I ask you, have you ever had a morning or a moment like this when life gave you a reason to feel glorious, that being alive was indeed a privilege, and that all was well in your world?

Photo courtesy of Sixteen Miles Out / unsplash.com

Thank you for stopping by and reading or listening. May the day be filled with all that you desire to bring joy, hope and peace to your life.🦋

©2025 Terry Pottinger