Just Like That

**Photography by Melissa Talbot**

Looking back on life and situations, I can't help but wonder if life was lived well. When I was a woman in my twenties, I'm not sure if you could say I was living the dream.

I was twenty-one when marriage and motherhood was staring me in the face. It certainly wasn't ideal in how everything played out but, at that age, do we really know what we're doing?

Now that I am older, here's hoping for wisdom and caution when facing every situation, especially the difficult ones. Unfortunately, there are some things you don't get to pick and choose in which direction to go.

Sometimes, life deals you a hand that you can't give back and, just like that, you have to navigate something you would give anything to get rid of. Like an illness or heart wrenching marriage.

Life can be a cruel and heartless thing with an indiscriminate attitude. No single person is exempt from bad things that can happen. So where does that leave us? How do we make sense of the senseless?

Recently, I was party to news that a dear friend might have less time to live than originally thought. My heart sank even though I was prepared for the inevitable. Suddenly, all I could think of is if they knew or believed they had lived life fully.

The reality of it all is that life can be very short and knowing that, we have the ability to live right now, to the extreme and fullest. I am reminded of what the Bible says about the precious nature of life.

There is a book in the Bible written by Jesus' brother, James. In James 4:14 it says, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." A humbling statement.

While you could panic over what James has said, I believe it's to be understood in the context of making the most of each day of your life. That as short as life can be, it's even more crucial that we live a life we can one day look back on and know it was well lived.

Encouragement for the week:

If you were to look back on the past five or ten years of your life, right now, could you say it has been a life well lived?

If you are a Christian reading this, you were created by God to serve and to add to His kingdom while on earth. Are you making the most of the life God has given you?

If you are not a Christian reading this, you can look for Jesus and you will find Him. He desires to know you intimately and that you live a full and enjoyable life with Him.