Sarkie, great article...Puna, great response!
As we all go along the strange twists and turns of our own "pathroad of life," sometimes something, or someone, changes us forever.
That article you posted reminded me of something I once heard which had such a profound effect on me, making me stop and reflect on my own life more than just a little bit. Making me reflect on the things which I want to spend the rest of my life focused on. Making me stop and think about love, kindness, and the people I cherish. Making me think that perhaps I might be able to make some small positive contribution to the world, leaving it a slightly better place then when I arrived. And perhaps someone someday might say of me after I'm gone, "I'm glad he passed this way."
I believe each and every person changes the history of the world just a little bit (like a pebble dropped in a pond. . .with the ripples going on forever).
........................................
Anyway, late one night several years ago I was alone during a fairly lonely period in my life, watching a 1983 movie called "Rumble Fish." It was a strange movie, but there was one thing said in it that has really stayed with me. Tom Waites was playing a bartender. Near the movie's end he was all alone in his bar, and he says something like the following:
"When you're young...you throw a year or two away,
and don't think about it. A year or two.
The older you get...you think about it.
You got maybe thirty-five (pick a number) summers left. Think about it.
Thirty-five summers. . . . . . .maybe.
Life is so short ("poof" and it's gone).
What's REALLY important to me. . .and to the people I care about?
Roger :) |
