Clocking more than 12 hours at office, spending 2 hours in travel sapped all my energy. The busyness alienated me from family and friends. ‘Dead on my feet’, that was me.
A heart attack at 38 finally gave me a jolt. And I realized that I have to live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. I must savor every moment.
It was tough in the beginning but I slowed down my pace. I now take time to eat food. Smile often. Appreciate small gestures…
Now that I am enjoying the gift of living, I know I am truly alive.
Linking this to 100 words on Saturday at Write Tribe prompt of ‘Truly Alive’
Images Courtesy : Google Images
53 Responses
LOL @ ‘I now take time to eat food’. My life’s goal is NEVER to miss a single meal and to enjoy every meal. I never allowed/will allow work to get in the way of this goal!! It’s sad that one needs a heart attack to realize this. Good shocking narration that drives the point home.
Destination Infinity
Yeah, in the busyness of our life, we just have time to gobble up the food and no time to enjoy every bite. Sometimes, we learn a lesson only when we stumble and fall. Thanks Rajesh! 🙂
Most people in a rat race don’t really know why they continue to be in there.
Sadly, it generally takes a setback to make a person learn how to enjoy life.
Well said, PI. Somebody said, life is all about learning and one of the most memorable ways of learning something is by messing up!
Many youngsters today do not realize this and do spend their days with total disrespect to their health and life in general!
Well said, Jayashree. The competitive world around us pushes us to move fast in every spheres of our life. In the process of running from morn to night, we often forget to love and enjoy our life.
Everybody is so busy chasing after that big happiness that they just neglect the small happinesses that come their way. ‘No time to stop and stare’, is what they keep chanting and then they realise that these small happinesses are what keep them truly alive. Loved your post. 🙂 (Like always)
True, we sometimes get so busy with the chaos around us that we forget to enjoy or savour the moment! Personally, I have seen that observing the kids at play or really listening to a song or being in that moment is so refreshing and such a happy feeling! Thanks a lot, Shilpa. You are too kind 🙂
Sometimes we realize the importance of life when we are jolted with a harsh reality . Well written Shilpa and loved the quote too .
True, it’s i our failures that we learn life’s most important lessons …
Thanks Sweta. Glad you liked this piece. 🙂
A good message Shilpa. It does feel good to slow down and savour the present moment.
They say, we’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are. Thanks Diana 🙂
What Sweta has said is so apt!!! Sometimes we need a jolt to get back our senses!! well written
Absolutely! We learn a lesson only when we stumble and fall.
A good message . Slow down and enjoy life for yourself today, for we have only one life that is precious. A heart-attack need not knock on one’s door to warn about the change in life-style.
Thanks Kalpana. Well said. Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour, which we must enjoy NOW!!
I have seen my father getting heart attack, it was shocking for me. Did changed everyone’s habits in family. Nice post.
It is proven that a setback often leads us to a better place…
Nice post, Shilpa. We should not over burden ourselves with work.Relaxation is very important.
That’s true! All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy! 🙂
Sad that it is often a scary wake up call in life like a heart attack that makes a person finally start taking care of themselves. By then the damage is done. My dad was like that. His first heart attack was a major wake up call for him and he immediately quit smoking and took care to watch what he ate as a result.
That’s nice that he learnt from his experience and adapted himself!
An eye opener. We work to be able to enjoy with our family. If work prevents us from doing that then its a dead end.
We have to work, but then we have to enjoy life and its beauty too. It should not happen that in our quest to be ahead in life, we miss out on life!
One of the most beautiful post on Being Alive, Shilpa. We often forget that we have to be alive but most often we are living corpses. In a way, I am happy, I lost my job coz my job was my life. True, I was getting fulfillment but at what cost the soul? Thanks for this post and for the kind words you dropped on my space.
Thanks Vishal. True, we get so caught up in the fulfilling our roles and responsibilities that we forget to live!
Indeed!
Gotta live in the present.
Great message!
Thanks Ruchira 🙂
Imagine how sad life must be if we cannot even savour our meal
True… after all, we are all working/running to get 2 meals…
yes, shilpa. Agree. it is important to focus on the present. Crispy message concisely worded:)
Oh yes, as life is a journey, not a destination!
Wow! its an eye opener indeed. I did not wait for the attach…at 32 I made my decision to ‘live’ 🙂 Thanks Shilpa!
That’s a wow decision, Kajal! Glad you are truly living! 🙂
Yes living in the moment is the best thing we can do…as always your post is simple and sweet.
I wonder if you remember me?
Hi Shahid! Of course, I remember you!! We have blogged together in 2009-2010 till you did a vanishing act! How have you been? Good to see you back! 🙂
Live in the moment !!! Enjoy life in all its colours. We get to hear these lines, these days so frequently. Probably because everyone is running after that elusive goal. This is the way of life we have come to accept over the years. However, as you said, we must savor every moment and slow down our pace sometimes…Smile often. Appreciate small gestures…
You are bang on Jini! 🙂
Most people forget to stop and smell the daisies..they forget that they work to live and not live to work.
Nice use of the prompt 🙂
Absolutely! Somebody rightly said, all that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused!!
Ohh how many of us face this ! I have a 1.5 hrs travel one day and I have long working hours 🙁 How I dislike it !
True, it is the same story for most of us. But it is important to take time and enjoy life and its beauty around!
Shilpa,we get so involved in our professional life and like to convince ourselves and the family ” It can’t happen to me”.It does happen,though
I have personally gone through this,hence,take my suggestion.Work as much your body can withstand.Eat everything,but,in moderation including Liquor.
A bit of regular exercise,nothing will go wrong.
That’s such a wonderful advice. We must follow this to the hilt. Thanks for sharing!
not many get second chances…why wait for it? loved your post 🙂
True… we dont always get second chances in life! Thanks Preethi 🙂
A pity we need a wake up call to do something we ought to be doing naturally. 🙂 But as they say, better late than never. We need a jolt to feel truly alive.
Well said, Vidya. Usually we take things for granted. It is only a jolt that opens our eyes and senses 🙂
True, we learn from our mistakes but as you rightly said, better late than never!
The lesson behind it is for many of us. Taking life each day has become a crucial part of healthy mind and body 🙂
Yes, given the kind of lifestyle we live, this is a very important lesson for most of us!
Awesome…
We all worry about future
And neglect the present!
So true and end up regretting later!