I had the joy of having a pre-birthday lunch today with my longtime friend Natalie Kaye who is both a peacemaker and mover and shaker. We figure we have known each other since the early 1990’s, having met at a local interfaith community called Pebble Hill. She and her husband Ivan have been supports in my life and I am always delighted to see them, even if it is not as often as I would like. As we sat across the table from each other at Chambers, she was sharing one of her most powerful philosophies since we have something else in common. We have both survived heart attacks and made sweeping changes as a result.

She told me “I’m making the rest of my life the best of my life,”  to quote a mutual friend; author, coach and speaker Jim Donovan and added that she sets an intention each morning to “live this day fully, wisely and well.” Then she spoke about Emily’s monologue from Our Town by Thornton Wilder. Although I never saw it the play or read the book, I am familiar with this part and it gives me chills:

Emily: ‘Oh, Mama, look at me one minute as though you really saw me. Mama, fourteen years have gone by. I’m dead. You’re a grandmother, Mama! Wally’s dead, too. His appendix burst on a camping trip to North Conway. We felt just terrible about it – don’t you remember? But, just for a moment now we’re all together. Mama, just for a moment we’re happy. Let’s really look at one another!…I can’t. I can’t go on. It goes so fast. We don’t have time to look at one another. I didn’t realize. So all that was going on and we never noticed. Take me back — up the hill — to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Good-bye , Good-bye world. Good-bye, Grover’s Corners….Mama and Papa. Good-bye to clocks ticking….and Mama’s sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths….and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you are too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it–every, every minute?’

Stage Manager: “ No. (pause) The saints and poets, maybe they do some.”

Emily: ‘I’m ready to go back.”

 

It also reminds me of one of my favorite snippets from the movie Joe vs. The Volcano

“Patricia”  My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know. Everybody you see. Everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake and they live in a state of constant total amazement.”

My challenge to you is to join Natalie, Jim and me and make the rest of your life, the best of your life in a state of constant total amazement.