A friend of mine Danielle Walton Doty, shared some words of wisdom from a wise man that we admire: Brent J. Belnap, posted this advice to his kids and it was so beautifully written I copied it here (modified slightly). This is how I have been viewing life pretty much my whole life--as the (increasingly) rapid dwindling of a finite once in a lifetime opportunity to learn, see, do, experience, become. This visual portrayal using simple jellybeans could be depressing--or motivating--depending on ones perspective or approach. Live life to its fullest. Dont worry if others accuse you of being too intense or driven. This life is meant to be lived, not observed. With what free time you can carve out for yourself as you pursue an education, develop a career, and raise a family, choose early and wisely to go against the barrage of mind-numbing entertainments, meaningless pursuits, shallow diversions, and moral dead ends. Learn a new language. Read--deeply, often, and with purpose. Explore the world--through travel, mental inquiry, child-like curiosity. Set goals--as often as necessary until you start to see results. Build something that will outlast your life and that will bless your posterity. Map out a life statement and then pursue it within the framework of the Gospel and your God-given talents as consistently as you can. Sorry to be so preachy today, but this video reminds me of one reason why I have often become somewhat melancholy around my birthday--for reasons not for public consumption. Life is a finite resource. Thoughtfully extract it, exploit it, leverage it, invest it, use it, enjoy it.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 03:09:31 +0000