 |
| What a beautiful "Extra" Day ~ Leap Day 2016! |
"If it happens today, it
didn't really happen," said the voice in my car radio this morning on my
commute. "It's an extra day! A bonus!”—another shouted when I clicked to a
different station.
Today, FEB 29, is leap day—the day
inserted every four years to keep our calendar operating smoothly. This extra
day makes the year 366 days long.
Since I am not in the
market for the deniability offered by the first DJ (not today, anyway), I got
to wondering what I would do or should do, if I knew this was truly an
"extra" day. Not to be too maudlin, but if this was it, the end, the
finale and I were gifted one more day, how would I spend it?
That sure puts life right in
perspective. I have allowed my energy to be drained and my enthusiasm to wane
in the last few days because of negative comments made by others. I have spent
hours explaining, apologizing, cajoling. Just thinking about it makes me want
to take a nap or eat chocolate—did I mention I am on a 3-Day Cleanse? So I pray
I wake up tomorrow for a do-ever because today (and much of last week) is not
how I would choose to spend my “extra” day.
It might be easier to start with
what I would NOT do on my “extra” day. I would not complain, whine or roll my
eyes. I would not waste one second with people who are not kind to me and my
family. I would not do anything involving money. I would not workout or worry about what I eat.
I know that’s terrible for a Beachbody coach to admit, but it’s the truth. I
have often joked about a “Last Supper,” referring to what I gobble down before
starting another fitness challenge. To really know it was my last supper, I don’t
even know if I would want to waste the time eating. Just writing that literally
gives me food for thought.
 |
| Family fun last summer. |
What would I do?
On my “extra’ day, I would wake
up early—like I normally do—because I wouldn’t want to miss a second of that
precious day. More importantly, I would wake up next to my husband (we
currently live in two cities and visit on the weekends). I would hot tub with
him and sip wine—I am aware wine is not a breakfast food, but this is our extra
day. I would call all the people I love, unless I could gather them around me. I would want to see my dad, sister, brother,
all our family members and the sweet friends I have collected over the years
who know me better than I know myself. I would tell them I love them. I would give
hugs freely to people I encounter and share with them the gift of my extra day.
 |
| My favorite days are when we gather with the Fish Kids. |
I would hope the Fish kids would
be with me. Whether they were with me or not, I would write them each a love
letter, although I know there are not words for how much I love Kelsey and
Cory. As my fellow mamas know, that love
is indescribable and only gets stronger as our babies grow away from us.
I would breathe deeply and
appreciate the weather, the sky, the breeze, the leaves. I would savor the
sounds of life—dogs barking in the distance, children calling out, birds. I would also savor the gratitude that I feel
about so many things in my life, like the rush I get when I pull up my driveway
and realize this is our sweet home or the real rush I get when I pick Tony up
on a Friday night at the train station and know that the next two days are
ours.
I would take a good long, final
look around and think, “I hope I have loved enough and given enough.” And then I would look up and say, “Thank you.”
And if I am honest, I would add, “More,
please.”
 |
| This mama friend is missed by so many. Ruthanne knew how to live life to the fullest. |
But Wait, There’s More….
I am embarrassed to admit that I
cried when I wrote this. It surprised me how my tears flowed, until I realized
I was crying for Ruthanne, my mother and Tony’s mother—the mamas, who left too
soon.
 |
| My sweet mama. I miss her everyday. |
 |
| Tony's mama. |
