By: Hettie Basil Lighttower
Many things have been said over the years about LIFE. Remember that cereal called “LIFE”? or that board game called “LIFE”? We all relate to that word called life. I think it was a brilliant marketing plan to create a cereal called LIFE, because we are all in life and we all need to sustain our life. The cereal implied that need to sustain our life and we can do it with LIFE cereal. It had lots of vitamins and minerals added to it with an attempt to consume less sugar and candy for breakfast. We need those good vitamins and minerals to start our day in life each day. “Hey Mikey!!!! He likes it!!”
The game LIFE allowed us to cope and have a bit more control over things that happen in life. We could deal with all the subjects(or at least most of them) without experiencing real trauma or events. We could live life vicariously. It had cards that we drew that created unexpected scenarios for us and there were consequences and dues to pay each time a card was drawn. This was of course unless we pulled the rare card of unexpected fortune and surprise benefits! And sometimes we could cheat and switch an undesirable card out and then have a whole new “life” on our board. And we could even come out as the winner of the game of life!
I have reflected on (a few) …..only a few…. descriptions of life or sayings about it, that I have heard or used in my LIFEtime. Sadly, most of them are on the negative side. We have a lot of emotions wrapped up in things that happen in life whether they are good or bad, or miraculous or devastating. In the limited list below, I have named ones that I can recollect. Which one or ones resonate/s with you? Which one did you hear throughout your life? Which one have you used? Which one would you currently use to describe life? How has your outlook on life changed over the years? Have you loved life? Have you hated life? What is your relationship with life? What can you do to make it your best life? Do you need to make changes? Do you need to change a perspective? Are you holding on to something that is not creating health and wellbeing for you?
It seems to me these phrases I have listed can each hold a place in our life at one time or another. Because life is fluid. It does not stand still but is always changing. Although during times of sickness, or loneliness it can seem very still with no change. It is times like that where we can create flow and change inside of ourselves and use our imagination and meditation and prayer.
“That’s just life!” – “It’s a Wonderful Life” – “Life stinks” – “Life’s a *#@!%# * and then you die” –
“Suck it up, it’s LIFE” – “Life’s funny that way” – “Life is hard” – “There has to be more to life” –
“You gotta love life” – “No one said life is easy” – “No one said life would be easy” – “This is life, get over it!” – “Life is strange sometimes” – “It’s called life” – “Such is life!” – “Life is NOT a game” – “ You never know what will happen in life” – “You can’t cheat life” – “Life has its ups and downs” – “It’s a hard life” – “Life isn’t fair” – “No one said life is fair” – “In life you get what you get.” – “Life is what you make it” – “Make the most out of life” – “Sometimes you get a second chance in life” – “Life just isn’t fair” – “Life is a gift, use it wisely” – “What you do in life is up to you” – “Life lessons” – “You get one life” – “Life is but a dream” – “Life’s good” – “It’s your life, do what you want” – “Life throws us curve balls sometimes” – “Life stinks” – “Life isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.” – “Life is a bowl of cherries!(full of pits)” – “It’s a good life” – “Life is full of surprises” – “Life is precious” – “What’s the meaning of life?” – “Life is a mystery” – “Life can fool you sometimes” – “Life is a box of chocolates(you never know what you’re gonna get.”
Have I missed any? Perhaps you have one you would like to add. I really love feedback!! I say, “Life is a classroom” or “Life is an obstacle course”. This has been my dominating experience of life. You have to navigate your way through it or at least I have had to. And because we do learn as time goes by and accumulate knowledge which leads to wisdom Life gives us many opportunities to “make the most out of life” or get a second chance at some things because we now know, what we didn’t know then! But I also resonate with “Life can be strange sometimes” and “Life’s good” or “Life is a mystery” and “Life is a gift”. I will end on that note. LIFE IS A GIFT, use it wisely.
Send in your notions and comments to [email protected]. I will include them in the next available column as per their arrival relative to the publication deadline of Tuesday by 12 p.m. of the same week. If you wish to be anonymous let me know. Kindness is contagious~*