My Next 40 Years
"and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Eph 5:2 NIV)
I was looking at the calendar the other day and noticed that my 40th
birthday is just a few months off now. I did a quick peek over each shoulder
to see if that dreaded mid-life crisis was trying to sneak up on me. I
didn’t see a sight of him anywhere, and I doubt that he will show up at all.
Yes, I have made more than my share of mistakes in my past that I am sorry
for. My past, though, got me to where I am today. It made me who I am now. I
can’t change it. I can only learn from it and use it to better live the time
I have left.
I am not sure how long I will have left on this world. None of us ever know
when our time here will end. Some of us get a century and some of us get
only a day. One thing I do know, however, is that if I get them: my next 40
years are going to be my best 40 years. I am going to love more, give more,
and live more. I am going to sing more, laugh more, and dance more. I am
going to smile more, hug more, and listen more. I am going to take in more
sunsets, pet more dogs, and thank God more for my life. I am going to take
more walks, watch more fireflies, and smell more flowers. I am going to
choose more love, more joy, and more oneness with God all day long, everyday
I am given. I am going to share it all with the whole world and show
everyone everywhere that they can do the same. I am going to spend everyday
I have left here bringing a little more Heaven to Earth before I leave Earth
for Heaven.
It doesn’t matter if you have 60 years, 40 years, 20 years, or 6 months
left. You can still make it the best, most glorious, and most loving time of
your life. The longest life here is still very short indeed. Do all you can
then to live it in laughter, love, happiness, joy, goodness, and oneness
with God. Then when you die and get to see God’s smiling face you will know
that your next billion years will be your best billion years.
By: Joseph J. Mazzella