The most important thing about your trip around the sun
Yesterday, I completed another 584 million-mile trip around the sun. If you’re like me, my brain can’t comprehend that many miles. In order to travel that many miles in a year, Google tells me that’s 67,000 mph or 18.5 miles per second, which is like running a marathon in 1.4 seconds.
Traveling that fast would be like running 22 million marathons per year, and that sounds like something I’d probably skip; but we call it Happy Birthday.
Birthdays call me to take account of the last year and they challenge me to look towards the next.
If I’m honest, the last trip around the sun was unquestionably the hardest yet. Walking the road of hydrocephalus and brain surgeries with our two-month-old baby is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, yet I know I’m growing through it. (Notice how I didn’t say I’m healed from it, but I’m growing through it.)
The older I get, the more I’m challenged to make use of each day that I have. Unfortunately, sometimes the best learning happens in the most painful circumstances.
Will we grow through our trips around the sun or will we let life make us bitter and crusty? I’d really rather not be a bitter and crusty old lady, which means I need to grow through the things that happen in life right now.
Some would say that life is short, so we should live it up. I say, life is short, so let’s live it on purpose.
Perhaps you think your life’s purpose is to stare at your own navel – focusing on what makes you happy. I’m here to suggest there is more to life than that.
Unfortunately, it’s far too easy to let life just happen to us rather than taking charge of our time.
Who knew it would take discipline to do something as “easy” as putting your phone down for dinner so that you can actually look into the eyes of your family.
Who knew we’d actually have to make and keep work boundaries so we can spend time with our spouse?
Who knew that having face-to-face friends would be a rarity in 2023 and that social media would be causing a massive influx of isolation and depression.
Maybe cell phones, overworking, and social media FEEL good in the moment, but I want a different year. I want a year of purpose.
Annie Dillard’s quote always stings a little for me: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” I don’t want a life of isolation, distraction, and accidental living. I want to live life (and maybe let’s just start with this year) on purpose.
I don’t know who said it, but this quote lives on my fridge: “love is incompatible with hurry.” It frequently catches my eye and checks my priorities. I think I need to add to it though. “Love is incompatible with hurry… or distraction.” Let’s be careful with both.
Even if it’s not your birthday, it’s a good time for a life review. How’s your ride around the sun going? Are you making it count?
Which relationships need your attention? Have your kids seen your face, or do they see a head with a phone in front of it? Maybe the phone rides on your wrist. It’s oh-so-convenient… until our kids realize they’re playing second fiddle to a smart watch.
The best selling book of all time says, “Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” I don’t know about you, but I’d like a heart of wisdom.
Here’s to numbering this year.
Today is day #1 of my next trip around the sun.
How about yours? What will you do with your day – today?
Let’s live it on purpose.
Meet your farmer – Liz Gerdes. She & her husband run a farm-to-table raw milk dairy and farm Airbnb in Caledonia. If you’re looking for raw milk fresh from the farm, visit gerdesfreshfarm.com or follow her on Facebook @gerdesfreshfarm or Instagram @gerdesliz for more info.
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