The Good Life . . . by being present

I currently lost a special loved one this past week. Losing someone is one of the hardest things a person can go through. I no longer try to understand why things happen rather I accept that they happen and trust that it’s meant to be. What I do know is that losing someone you love leaves a heartache difficult to heal, but the love and memories you have with that person no one can ever steal from you.

It takes difficult times in our lives to reconsider how we live our lives. This past week put me into complexity mainly because I realized that life still has to go on even after losing someone. Though it’s hard, it made me realize how thankful I was to have the opportunities I did to be fully present in this loved one’s life.

When I say present I don’t just mean being somewhere physically present. I mean being somewhere and being mentally and emotionally present in that moment and creating lasting memories no one gets to take away. For my generation that’s easier said than done. Take a look at this video of how the millennial era has changed the perception of being present.

See what I mean? We’re so infatuated with technology and objects without a beating heart we don’t even realize we’re shutting ourselves out. We call much of the media we use today “social” but when we use it aren’t our doors usually shut? We’re becoming unsocial and missing out on special moments, experiences and the act of just looking into someone’s eyes.

The Good Life is about being present everyday, everywhere. It’s about going out in the world with no distractions and living life the real way. Look up from your phones and stop worrying about announcing to all what you have done. Sometimes the best memories are shared with a loved one.

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Dedicated to my grandma. You are so loved and will be missed greatly. 
Give grandpa a bear hug for me.