One minute they’re there, the next minute they’re gone. 20,000 photographs…births of my children, school plays, Christmas mornings, the last photographs of grandma…all gone. In a matter of moments, with the crash of my computer hard drive, they slipped through my fingers and became a memory.
If I had to name my most treasured possession, my pictures are it…They were it.
Next to my computer is an external hard drive…in its package, untouched. I intended to back everything up, but I regretfully put it off.
Life is like that. We carry-on taking for granted so many things. In a moment, they can be gone.
our health, our marriage, our money
a friendship, a sobriety, a career
What else in my life do I intend to “back up” but simply haven’t? What is it I treasure? My photographs, YES! They are a visual representation of my life until now. But they are not my life. They are just pictures of it….and pictures which I can manipulate to tell any story of my choosing.
What is it I truly treasure?…the people in those photographs…the relationships in my life today. Do I live in a way that says “I TREASURE YOU”?
So today I embrace not what I’ve lost, but what I have. My heart is thankful and challenged to live life more completely.
Today I want to be more intentional.
Today I want to
Not rush through the bedtime routine with our children. They feel my love through the tickling of their backs, my breath on their foreheads, and my arms snuggling them tight. They crave my touch. That trust, that physical closeness brings, opens up their hearts for deeper conversations. As the lights go out and their minds settle from the distractions of the day, I get that glimpse into their soul. Their anxieties. Their passions. Their unanswered questions. But I rush it. Every night, I cut them short. But not tonight.
Today I want to
Encourage my spouse more– There are certain areas I feel awkward intentionally encouraging him in. It feels contrived. It’s easy to compliment him on what a great father he is, or his handiness around the house. But in other areas, I listen, offer my perspective, and problem solve…but I rarely encourage. Yesterday I decided to intentionally encourage him before work. I affirmed in him some of his God-given qualities which were going to be utilized in him that day at the office. I half-expected him to laugh, but he didn’t. He hugged me and didn’t let go. Today I’m going to encourage him more.
Today I want
The people in my life to know my heart. I don’t know what tomorrow holds. A car crash could change everything. It did for my aunt who left her 4 children weeping over her grave. Do the people I love know it? Have I told them, shown them? What about my friends? Do they know what I cherish about them? Sometimes I don’t say it. Do you have a friend who has made a huge impact on you but she doesn’t know it? I do. On her birthday I showed her my heart. I told her why I thought she was different. Why I cherished her insight. I shared the impact and influence she has had on my life. I laid it all out there. We weren’t at that intimate level in our friendship either, so I was vulnerable…but I wanted her to know. She could die tomorrow. I could. Nothing was left unsaid and our friendship is that much stronger. Today I am reminded to not withhold my affection from those in my life. I want them to know my heart.
Today I want to
Stop the judgement. Life’s hard and we don’t know what other people are going through. I want to be filled with compassion not comparison. I want to extend forgiveness. Am I holding on to a subtle grudge? Are there areas I need to put aside my pride to forgive? Today I want to be sensitive to the needs around me, the ones that may be disguised in condescending comments, cold shoulders, and abrupt tones. Today I want to see through them and meet their real needs with understanding and love.
Today I want to
Celebrate life. I don’t want to wait for the weekends to have fun. I want to live it now. I want to celebrate my family. I cherish a life with dance parties on Tuesdays and board games instead of clean kitchens. I want an ice cream sunday party just because we’re all together. Today I want to celebrate that I get to live this beautiful, imperfect life for another day. Today is a gift I treasure.
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Warren and I just read your beautifully written words……we cherish knowing you since you were a young girl!!
Your words are amazing and I want to thank you for making me look at my children, husband, family, and friends in a different way. I enjoy reading your stories and insights on life and family, I get cought up in the craziness of life and I get scared I’m going to rush through the days and miss out on my kids being little, so thank you for reminding me to slow down and treasure my gifts!
I love this wonderful way to plan each day! Your words weave joy into my soul!
You are truely inspiring!! Like you my pictures are one of my post precious possesions but I agree with you that the true purpose and passion of life and our hearts are the people within those pictures. Thank you for your beautiful words and for the reminder of how precious every moment spent with our kids, husband, family, and friends is. A reminder to slow down and not rush the bedtime routine but yet spend more time. A reminder to open our hearts and out everything out on the line. After all at the end of the day it is those things that truely matter the most!! May God bless you and your beautiful family abundantly!!
How terrible that you lost all of your photos! I can’t imagine. But so great that it caused you to realize how intentional you need to be with the relationships around you. Great post!
Do you know that every time you post I feel like I have told you of my secret shame and you are helping me solve it with no judgement whatsoever. How is that possible? I don’t know but I absolutely love you for it. I am going to approach my subtle grudge with an olive branch in the next ten days, and you know what, that already makes me feel better about something that has been eating at me for way too long. LOVE YOU and your tremendous insight.
one word, love 🙂
I’m so sorry Allison about your photos, it’s such a fear of mine as well but your reflection and reaction is what makes you such an amazing person. All week long I know I will be looking for what a truly treasure as well and working on being intentional ~Kim
Hi! Stopping by from Mom Bloggers Club. Great blog!
Have a nice day!
This is a wonderful heart-felt post. I love your attitude of treasuring what you’ve got instead of focusing on what you lost. Thanks for sharing this post with Afterschool!
Thank you sharing your inspirational words of wisdom and for linking up this week to the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop.
Truly beautiful, Allison! You have such a gift for thoughtful writing. I am so guilty of rushing through the bedtime routine so I can get to my “me” time on the computer. I appreciate all your reminders in this post. Thank you for linking up with us at After School!
Great thoughts, Allison! It’s always needed to be encouraged to treasure others!
Thanks for sharing. Life is too short and too unpredictable to wait to do important things like tell loved one how you feel or have fun – thanks for the reminder!
Allison, this is a remarkable piece. Thank you for writing it, and thank you for sharing of yourself so transparently.
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You are such a gift, Allison. Love your writing, your outlook, your heart. Beautiful post, as always!
Thank you precious Kari! Love you.
Wonderful thoughts expressed with perfect intentionality. Thank you for sharing your beautiful words with us all… it has made many people’s lives richer, more intentional and helped us all be a little more in the moment.
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This is what I needed. It made my cry. Thank you
I am thankful you read it on a day you needed it. I wrote it on a day when I needed it too. Blessings.
Brilliant post !! Just loved reading, thank you for sharing…so many learnings in one post….
I love this! Thank you for sharing these. I feel renewed!