A Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi and a Baptist minister were discussing the beginning of life.
The priest said, “Life begins at conception.” The rabbi said he believed it begins at birth. The Baptist minister thought for a minute and said, “I believe life begins when the last child leaves home and the dog dies.”
While there are different opinions about when life begins, what is the answer to the question, “When does life end?” Most of us would agree when we breath our last breath is when it’s over for us. However, too often the ending of life is even more grim than us fighting for a breath of air.
Too often, life for many ends months or maybe even years before their final physical moment. Actually, possibly it has already happened to you and you haven’t even realized that you are already dead. You died and you didn’t even know it. You’ve been staring at your television, scrolling through social media and maybe even walking around the aisle of the grocery store just as dead as old King Tut — not physically, just mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
It happens to the best of people. You lose all interest in life. You have nothing that you look forward to. There is nothing you particularly want to do, no place you really want to go and nobody you want to be around. You’re dying, because you’ve given up.
There are several scenarios that can bring us to this motionless zombie stage of life. Losing a spouse, losing a job, losing a child, a business failure, financial failure, a major sickness or just outliving all your family and your friends. Too often people detach themselves from everyone or anything going on, which limits their activity and interest even more.
Crippling disease changes our personalities and interests. Battling cancer, diabetes, a neurological disease, take your pick, changes our attitude about wanting to be out and about and doing what we used to do. Meeting, or singing in the community choir, may not have the same appeal.
Regardless of what you or another has going on, it’s well to take notice and not be hard on your friend or yourself. Here is what you must try:
1. Keep moving. Even if you are wheelchair bound, move your mind and whatever part of your body that you can move.
2. Keep doing. Do something. Read, pray, exercise, go to church, walk. Clean your house. Work a job, mentor people. Be a friend to others. Use your imagination.
3. Keep trying. As long as you can breathe, don’t quit.
4. Have something to look forward to. This can be anything. Someone’s birthday. A trip to the store. Mowing the yard. A family gathering. A trip, a movie or church.
5. Enjoy whatever you do. Laugh and have a good time.
The only person who can keep you down is yourself. If we can overcome what we mentally put ourselves through, then we have a good chance of a good day.
A good thought to add here, is the scripture, “If God be for us who can be against us?” (Romans 8:21) Another is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Now, go have a good day!
Glenn Mollette is an American columnist and author read in all 50 states. Find books by Mollette at Amazon.com. Learn more at glennmollette.com. He may be contacted by email at gmollette@aol.com.
