The month of March has always been special for me, as this is my birthday month! As some of you may recall, however, last year in this beautiful month of March, my mother passed away. Yes, it has already been a year; how fast time goes by.
In considering what I might choose to write about this month, the topic of Celebration came to me. In the context of my birthday, that topic is obvious. However, making that work in light of it also being the anniversary of my mom’s passing, that made me unsure.
I realized why the word Celebration came to me, though. It is because I celebrated and enjoyed my mom while she was here. I didn’t miss “the moment.” I wasn’t too busy. And that is a saving grace for me. It was a gift from heaven to be sure. It just happened for us that we made it a priority to spend time together. Every month we put a weekend aside and would enjoy a sleepover, fun little shopping sprees, dinner out, watching an old movie, playing cards, looking at old photo albums. Sometimes I would bring my kids, one at a time, for quality grandma and mom time. Were those special moments! I shared every little thing that happened in my life with joy and excitement. My mom was my absolute best cheerleader! She was able to be my cheerleader because I took the time to share with her, to be with her, and to have fun with her. We lived an hour and a half away from each other, and we made that work beautifully.
Who would you like to be a cheerleader for? Who is your cheerleader in life? Celebrate with them. Celebrate for the mere fact that you can! What kind of relationship do you have with your parents, your kids, your siblings, your best friend, your partner? How much would you miss them if they were gone tomorrow, next week or next year? What is it you would miss? Well, guess what? You have THAT today! Celebrate it! Embrace them! Enjoy every moment. You don’t have to get together every week to do that. Feel gratitude for what you have in front of you right now. Savor the moments. Nurture the relationships. What a gift! There is no need for regrets.
In the hustle and bustle of life, no matter who we are or what we do, we all get busy. There is “soccer season,” “holiday season,” “summer season,” and every other season under the sun, all of which bring us busy-ness. And yet, where is the “celebration” in all of this? Even the holidays are not a season of celebration for many people any more.
I believe that our biggest regrets tend to be those things in life that we did not do. So celebrate! Laugh. Love. Live. Make a list of those people who are near and dear to your heart, and call them right now. Set a date on the calendar so you can have moments of wonder, delight and joy. Those moments turn into hours, months and years, and those are the memories that live on forever.
There is so much to be said about investing in the heart and celebrating life. Find out what that is for you, and create a life of celebrations for you and your family.