What brings you to life?
This morning I got sucked into the camera on my phone. I started out looking for one specific shot. Instead of finding that one pic, I spent a half hour reliving the last four months.
I’ve never been a great photographer. Like many people, though, having a camera on my phone allows me to snap a lot of shots that would otherwise get away. The plus side of this is that I document a lot of days that would otherwise be forgotten. The downside is that I fill my phone’s memory with a lot of mediocre photos.
But there are gems amidst the gravel.
What struck me after 30 minutes of photo-surfing is just how full my life has been. I’m privileged to spend a lot of time doing things I absolutely love. I started making a mental list of activities I’ve enjoyed these past few months. Your list might look a lot different than mine, but here are a few of the absolute best activities I’ve gotten to enjoy recently:
Giggling with our granddaughter
Reveling with family at our daughter’s wedding
Paddling into the Boundary Waters in October
Bowhunting on the farm where I grew up
Drinking strong coffee before the sun is up
Writing vivid stories that fill my imagination
Sharing those stories with people I care about
Sweating to make the dream of our house a reality
Riding across my land on a sweet horse
Talking long into the night with people I love
You might realize that not all these activities are photo-documented. But the pics I do have provide a framework to remember all the other excellent things I’ve been doing. I find myself this morning deeply grateful.
What’s on your list? What are the activities that bring you to life? Have you been able to enjoy them recently?
I hope you can answer “Yes!” to that question. When Jesus talked about having eternal life, I suspect his emphasis was less about living for years uncounted and more about really, fully living.
As the days grow shorter and the darkness swells in our hemisphere, may you treasure the memories of moments fully lived. And may you seize the opportunity to engage deeply in the activities that bring you to life.