Mess-essary-ation

The process of living and growing and learning is messy. I know this line surprises no one. It is easy to see the messiness we find ourselves in as we take on this necessary life-long struggle. The necessary struggle and messiness is a process we all undertake in the journey to find ourselves and live the lives we wish to live.

For the past several weeks, I have begun my daily journal with the words,

“Memento mori. The only appropriate response is gratefulness, joy, and appreciation.”

This is my daily reminder. A reminder that life is precious. Each day is a gift, and I am owed nothing. Yet I have this day that lies ahead of me. This day has many responsibilities and obligations. But this day has countless opportunities to find joy and appreciation of this gift of life and our participation in it.

The process is messy.

And necessary.

And I have found it deserves our appreciation.

Not that we can be grateful for everything that happens, but that we can be grateful for the opportunity to respond instead of reacting to what life brings us. This day was not promised to us and these opportunities to respond are a gift even if our response is just to pause and smile.

I have tried this practice. It works. I pause when things take me by surprise, things that I do not wish. I try to step out of myself. I try to appreciate how beautifully unique each moment is. And how if I were not given this day, I would have missed out on this gift. How if I were caught up in my own head and my own world, I would have missed out on this opportunity to pause. And appreciate the experience of living in this deeply complex, inter-connected world. The experience of participating in life no matter how messy. Participation and appreciation are necessary for our growth.

Yes, we must remember death.

And yes, we must remember life.

May we live today remembering that this day was not owed us. It is a gift. And may we pause and smile and appreciate the messiness that is necessary for our growth and learning and living a wholehearted, compelling life. And may we pause and respond with gratefulness.