Which glasses do you wear?

What does it take for each of us to wake up and start living life instead of life living us? I imagine for most of us it will take a life changing event, probably in the form of some very bad news.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

"Hello!"
"Is Mrs. Smith there?"
"This is Mrs. Smith."
"Mrs. Smith this is Dr. Jones. Do you have a moment to talk?"
"Sure."
"Are you sitting down? If not, please sit down!"
"Umm, what is it?"
"We got your test results back and, well, you have cancer. You have about a year left!"

Click!

Why do we decide to change things in ourselves when we find out it is broken rather than preventing it and avoiding it all together? Is it human nature, laziness, ignorance, time, or just plain impossible to see the future? Or maybe we get so busy with life running us instead of us running our life.

Is it that phone call or life changing event that makes us put on a new pair of glasses and finally see everything clearly? I mean we're all born and know that one day we will die. Everyone knows this yet, most have to have that tragic moment which makes us put on a different pair of glasses. Is it the fact that we all think we will live to a ripe old age of 100? And, then you find out you will die next year.

How do we slow life down and stop time, reflect, and make changes without getting the bad news to make us? Can't we just say, "You know what, today I am putting on those glasses! Today I am in charge of time!"

Written April 2009. I have written on this subject often through the years in my journal. But it wasn't until I read the book "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom that I took the time to put it into words. And, I just finished reading "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova. Wow! It really makes you thakful for "what is!"