Know Better

“Once you’ve lived enough, once you’re cried enough tears, you know how blessed it is to have something to smile about. People who are passionate about life don’t have a positive attitude because they don’t know any better. They’re often positive because they do know better. They know that heartbreak could happen any day. If it’s not happening today, let’s give thanks.” – Marianne Williamson, The Age of Miracles

How often we know better but we still question or forget how blessed we truly are. Looking outward instead of in, to the distance instead of the foreground, the past instead of now, the future instead of now. Be grateful for this very moment, this day.

As my 50 year anniversary of living approaches in October, I feel like I’m in my 30s, perhaps a bit smarter and caring much less about what others think or may think. I am starting my training for my third marathon in the Fall. Not to win, but to stay in the game and enjoy the rhythm of training. To start. To finish. To start again and finish again. I still get excited about learning something new each day, but more importantly, sharing the discovery. I remain passionate about my career, but not interested in the positioning, chattering and chirping. Although I still let myself get sucked in when I lose perspective – that “knowing better but not doing better” thing again.

So as we know better, we need to be, think, thank, feel, breathe, give and love better and deeper. Let the light in and cast it back out again.

“When you wake up each morning, you can choose to be happy or choose to be sad. Unless some terrible catastrophe has occurred the night before, it is pretty much up to you. Tomorrow morning, when the sun shines through your window, choose to make it a happy day.” – Lynda Resnick