Love and Cherish People and Moments

Take a moment to imagine the situation I am about to describe. It may be graphic, but please indulge me.

Imagine that you came face-to-face with a killer. One who is pointing a gun at you. You, too are armed, and in that situation, it's "kill, or be killed". The face(s) of your child(ren) if you have any flash before your eyes. The faces of your loved ones flash before your eyes. What do you do? Do you pull that trigger?

This "imagined" scenario brings forth, a psychological stress that I have never felt before. One that I would never like to experience. And so I can only imagine what our soldiers and policemen are currently feeling. I can only imagine what a friend of mine is going through right now.

While I do not profess to know about the intricacies or psychological and physiological effects of of combat on persons who have to go in combat occassionally, I do know that when a situation such as the one described above hits so close to home, it puts you in a different place.

You now cherish the moments you are with, or speak with people. You try your very best to avoid confrontations or arguments with people. You manage your time and your effort. Instead of allowing external events and pressures control you, you make deliberate choices about the use of your time and your energy.

I am reminded of a quote by Ninon de Lenclos, "Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it."

So today I make a conscious decision to love. Love with wanton abandon. Cherish. Cherish people as if my life depended on it.

Today I forget all labels. Today, I simply love.