Live while you're Living
A lesson from a friend in Scottsdale, AZ
Good Morning!
John Lennon said “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” 46 years ago in Beautiful Boy.
This line flashed into memory yesterday as I watched two dear friend, Brian and Jeff, record the Spiritual Speakeasy in Scottsdale.
I’m in Scottsdale for some podcasting work, and got the great fortune to travel and hang with my friend Jeff.
Jeff, as Brian stated perfectly, is the example of a true “gentlemen” in our modern day.
Kind, generous, smart, and tough; all while raising 2 daughters and fighting off his 3rd go-around with Cancer.
There’s challenges we all end up facing, then there’s challenges like cancer x 3.
It’s enough to make the strongest of the strong grow tired and weary.
But Jeff’s mentality, his approach to this next fight is one of gratitude, and service.
Not in a dismissive or naive way, with a fake smile and “can do” attitude, but in a sincere presence of the moment, knowing that he can choose to live the day just as it is, one day at a time.
In this conversation, Jeff spoke on the 5 lessons he’s learned from cancer (which is being crafted into a book), and one made John Lennon’s melody come to me.
Live while you’re living.
So often, our bodies are present, but our minds are adrift.
We are living old memories in the past, or casting out beliefs for the future.
We live in either regret or anticipation, wishing we did something different, or worrying about what will happen tomorrow, leaving the present moment looking at us saying…
“Hey, this is where the joy you are looking for is. Come hang with me.”
It’s an easy thing to say “live each moment” and “stay present”.
It’s another to embody it, and live it.
Choose the latter.
Much Love, Michael