Life that matters, facing the sunset

There is wisdom in the wise words: Growing old is a blessing that those who died young did not have the chance to enjoy.

Because celebrating life is beautiful, especially as I face the threshold towards life sunset.

In the remaining steps in my journey of life, I choose to travel light and be happy, becoming more philosophical and reflective about the joy of living. I realize that the greatest treasure in this life is actually living a happy life.

I have learned that happiness is not having what you want; it is really wanting and appreciating what I already have.

So looking at the bright side of life comes easy. Good times become good memories. Bad times become good lessons. I look to the future with serenity and hope... because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life.

Yet it is the present that fascinates me still, where I can reflect on life's great lessons, like the wisdom shared by these powerful thoughts:

Whether I am ready or not, someday it will come to an end. That means there will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days for me.

So that all the things I collected through the years, whether treasures or baubles, will just pass to someone else... to my loved ones I hope. But even these will shrivel to irrelevance insofar as I am concerned anyway. Because it will not matter what I owned or what I was owed... when my time is finally up.

Even my grudges, resentments, frustrations will finally disappear; so too my hopes, plans, and to-do list will expire.  Everything in my material world will become irrelevant.... someday.

So then what really matters? Well, I search for answers in these inspiring words:

What matters is not what I got, but what I gave and shared...

What matters is not my competence, but my character....

What matters is not my success, if any, but my significance, especially to those dear to me....

What matters is not what I learned but the things and examples that I taught and shared with those who look up to me....

What matters is not how many people I knew, but how many people will feel a lasting loss, when I am gone...

What matters is not my memories, but rather the memories that live in the people who love me....

What matters is my integrity, compassion, sacrifice. Because they can enrich, empower, and encourage others to emulate my examples... if they have any worth to humanity.

Yet I also realize that living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. Neither it is a matter of circumstances, but of deliberate choice.

So I choose and commit myself to live a life that matters, in what remains of my life's journey, as I end my reflection with....

A Serenity Prayer  

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time;

trusting that the Lord will make all things right

if I surrender to His will;

so that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

forever and ever in the next.

Thank You, Lord for the gift of life.

Thank You for my life's milestone

I celebrate today, May 9, 2014.

Amen.

Moving forward in my journey of life towards the sunset, I have learned that there is really no way to happiness. Because happiness is simply a way of life. But the best thing, I have also learned, is that it is free..... at least I think.