Next week I turn 50.
Given that encroaching milestone in the background, three events this week held particularly notable importance for me and emphasized the precious but limited nature of our time here.
The first was the annual Bras for the Cause breast cancer fundraiser. This year I was pulling triple duty there. My band plays for the finish line party every year so we get to soak up the zany but deeply touching atmosphere of people who come together to honor and celebrate both victims and survivors.
I also led a pre-walk warm-up representing my fitness studio since we’d held a fundraiser for the organization behind the walk – Tri- Valley SOCKs – late last year. Finally, I had planned to mention it here in my column and share some pictures this week (see above, right.) It’s always a light-hearted, uplifting (no pun intended) event but you also feel the undercurrent of, for many, premature mortality.
The second was the very next day – Mother’s Day. There are four ladies who are very significant in my life and are awesome moms I wanted to honor. I was able to extend my love and admiration to each and, though we’d visited mine last weekend (she’s three hours away), my 45-minute phone conversation with her grounded me well for the rest of the day in what the day is all about.
And the 11 a.m. service at Crosswinds Church was one of the most powerful and moving experiences I’ve had on any Mother’s Day. They chose a woman who was close to her adult children who were scattered across the U.S. and made a video of them declaring their love and admiration for her. That was shown on big screens to the congregation. She gasped in disbelief when she saw her kids praising her on the beautifully crafted video message. Afterward, the Lead Pastor brought her on stage and gave her flowers. Then the stars of the video walked on stage to greet their mother in person.
Like some, I’m deeply blessed to still have my mom around and am so grateful for that. But life is short and her health, while generally good, is a limitation for longer, more active trips, so we usually go to see her and my dad. I know if I’m fortunate to reach their age or older, my physical vitality will be at least the priority it is now.
The third event was a mixer we held at the studio for local wellness service providers. We had an MD, a chiropractor, acupuncturists, physical therapists, a massage therapist, marriage and family therapists and Angela of Juice and Java Express in attendance. It was catered by a phenomenally talented vegan chef named Lisa Books-Williams and a friend and fellow musician provided live acoustic music accompaniment. The room was full of great energy and dedicated professionals who are committed to helping people make their own lives better, and, hopefully, last longer. There are a few shots of that event, as well, above.
All this gives me pause while I’m so caught up in the relentlessly busy day-to-day activities to answer the question implied in the title of this week’s column. Our tomorrows are becoming our yesterdays now, as we pay our bills, get our kids to practices and games and while we watch our friends and family move through their trials and triumphs.
And taking the time and making the effort to maintain our best physical condition possible, makes our today – the only real time we have – what it’s truly meant to be.
Want to talk in-person? I’m usually at the studio http://trivalleytrainer.com/ and can always be reached at Dan@TriValleyTrainer.com .
