Celebrating Life

Today we went out for dinner with my Dad for his 60th birthday.

Today my Aunt lost her partner to a short battle with cancer.

Both events prompt us to celebrate. A celebration of another life milestone reached. A cause to celebrate memories of a life lived and lost.

As we sat eating dinner in the restaurant, there was a Mom and her two pre-teen children having dinner at the table next to us. All three were heads bowed: Mom texting on her i-phone, Son playing a game on a DS, Daughter surfing on an I-pad. They spoke barely a word to each other. They didn't even look at each other until they shared a dessert. Not engaged in each others lives at all.

I thought maybe I was the only one who noticed until my Mom looked over at me and said, sarcastically, "Now there's some quality family time."

And I'm guilty, very guilty, of spending too much time bent over my smartphone. Text. Surf. Email. Text. Surf. Email.


But I just wanted that Mom to know that she needed to celebrate, just in case she didn't get another opportunity. I wanted those kids to know that their Mom was too important not to pay attention. And I personally needed the reminder that time is far too precious to waste, that we need to cherish every single day, every single moment.

How have you spent your day? Have you zoned out, disengaged, over some meaningless electronic device? Or,  have you celebrated love, laughter, family, and made memories to last a lifetime?