Excited to be alive

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.

~Agatha Christie~

Like most everyone who watched the news on January 15, 2009, I was glued to the television as the anchors reported the story of US Airways Flight 1549's crash landing in the frigid waters of the Hudson River. Miraculously, all 155 persons onboard survived, and only a few injuries - most of them minor - were reported.

At one point in his coverage of the story on NBC's Nightly News, Brian Williams went to a live telephone interview with a survivor named Jeff. Jeff did his best to describe the crash from his perspective as a passenger, but it was clear he was struggling to speak. With shaking voice, he stopped and started his story several times. Finally, he said, "Forgive me. My voice is cracking. I'm just so excited to be alive!"

So excited to be alive! Not "happy," not "glad," not "relieved," but "excited"!

What a powerful reminder. Thank you, Jeff and Brian!

As cancer survivors and caregivers, many of us are facing painful procedures and treatments. Many more Americans are coping with illnesses and injuries just as debilitating and some that are even more so. Others are dealing with untold and unimaginable losses. And almost every American has been hit hard by the current economic crisis. The bottom line is that every single one of us faces worry, fear, grief and/or heartache of some kind nearly every day.

But what if we resolve to find some way to be excited every day just to be alive in that moment in time? Let's try this. Let's take just five minutes out of our day and mentally put every worry, fear, pain and other negative feeling into an imaginary box and set it aside (it's a very strong box and they can not get out!). Then let's close our eyes, say "Thank you, God, for my life today," and then run around in circles (open your eyes first) or jump for joy or - if you can't run or jump - lift up your arms like you're cheering at a ballgame and shout "Yay!" Show some excitement, for God's sake! For it is by His grace that we awoke this morning to another glorious day on this planet and to all of the possibilities that brings.

I don't know about you,but I'm excited!

Dear God, thank You for my life today.

~ Amen ~