Life is short.

I try my best to live each day knowing just how precious time is. But lately, it seems that the brevity of life is staring me in the face. While it's uncomfortable, scary even at times, it makes me realize this one thing:

I LOVE MY LIFE SO MUCH.

I truly do. I love the simple things like getting 8 restful hours of sleep and sitting down to Wordle with a warm cup of coffee. I love going to the gym and moving my body and pushing it to new limits. I love writing. I love that I get to do it, I love the people I meet through interviews and shared stories, and I love the emails and DMs I get from people saying my words made a difference in their lives. I love Netflix binges and walks around the block. I love loud music in my car and I love reviving the one plant in my house that I always seem to kill.

I love the big things, too. I love my kids so damn much. I honestly think I have the three best, kindest, most faithful, funny, smart and caring kids that have ever existed. I love my crazy family. I love that I have enough siblings to complete a basketball team and too many cousins to count. I love our family group chats (born in the COVID days) and I love my parents and how they will drop any and everything to help one of us—no matter what and at any and every age! I love God and the way that my relationship with Him has unraveled, and I love that He speaks to me through songs and people and dreams and literature.

I absolutely love being sober. If I wasn’t sober, I wouldn’t have any of these other things. I know it is a miracle that I am sober, but the other miracle is just how much I freaking love it. I never believed I would enjoy a life without alcohol. I thought I would never have fun or dance or laugh or play golf or watch football or go to a casino or date. Because how are any of these things fun or comfortable without alcohol? But they are fun. More fun. Because how can anything truly be fun (or appreciated) when you are numb? I love the highs and I value the lows. And I love myself. Finally! And I'm not even afraid to say it (anymore)!

Life is so short.

It's easy to take any and everything for granted and I often do that, too. I’m sure I will do it again and I suppose that is human nature. But while I am in this heightened state of gratitude, I might as well write down my recipe for living the best life and appreciating every damn second.

Here's what I got-- Just for today:

-Put the damn ego aside. -Be kind to your body: Move it and fuel it well. -Don’t sweat the small stuff. Really. Let it go. -Money aint a thing. -Say I love you. -Say I am sorry.
-Say I forgive you. -Take risks.
-See as much of the world as you can. -Don’t hold grudges. -Don’t beg people to treat you a certain way, stay in your life or change for you. Love them from a distance. Love them for exactly who they are in this moment and gently place them in God’s hands. If they come back to you, welcome them with love and appreciation. If they don’t, make sure they know you love them, then give them space, and pray for them. -Don’t waste 8 hours a day in a job that depletes you or takes you for granted or that leaves you dreading the start of the workday. -Don’t judge others. -Do not fear the judgement of others. -Dance loud and sing louder. -Laughter over worry. -Love over hate. -Faith over fear. -Put the damn phone away.
-Start and end every day with gratitude—a list, a prayer, a thought. Whatever works. Just do it. -Always treat yourself and others as if today was your last day and their last day. Because you never know.

Grateful to be alive. Grateful to be sober. And so grateful for this beautiful life.