Inspiration

Today before T'ai Chi class I was talking to the man next to me and he inspired me. I saw him 2 weeks ago for the first time. He has terminal lymphoma I found out today but he has had it for 10 years he told me. He was very open and told me about the treatments he has received the side effects he suffers from and how he was told that the lump under his arm was terminal cancer. It reminded me of a woman in the last writing class I took a few weeks ago. She was one of three in the group that had a stage IV cancer diagnosis. Hers is uterine...6 years ago. That's right 6 years ago, stage IV and terminal 10 years out from diagnosis. I am telling you this because these people were told they were dying and they are still here. We don't read about them in the papers or see them on tv but they are real people and they do exist.
Now I do not have close relationships with either of them so I do not know about their lifestyles but what I do know from personal experience is how important it is to take care of ourselves body,mind and spirit. There are a lot of excuses "why not to" floating around out there and let me ask you how are they working out for you? Sure sometimes there really is an obstacle in the way of change but obstacles can be worked around or eliminated. Life is too short not to live like we mean it. Ask anyone diagnosed stage IV or terminal cancer. Fact is nobody knows when their time on earth will end. For some it is tomorrow and for some it is not for many years. Don't wait to have fun like a kid again, take that dream vacation, fall in love (real deep love), swim in the ocean, tell your friends you appreciate them, tell the same thing to yourself, etc.
Be inspired by someone as often as you can...it is the best motivator and reason for getting up each day. I have several inspiring people in my life. The biggest is of course my husband who continues to do so everyday. He still makes me laugh and his singing voice still puts me at ease. We still have conversations and he tells me what to do about certain things. I seek him and the others out. I invite them to be part of my life even if it only for an hour. That is the kind of life I want to live. I want a healthy body,mind and spirit. I appriceate my life. I aspire to inspire.