Tip: There is a lot more to living than just taking breaths!
Tip of the Week
06/10/13
Tip: There is a lot more to living than just taking breaths!
I recently ate in a restaurant that had many beautiful pictures hanging on the walls which were inscribed with great quotes. I enjoy reading and collecting good quotes because I believe there is power in the spoken and written word. Proverbs 18:21 says that life and death are in the power of our words. Therefore, when I see something really good, I usually jot it down in the little notebook that I always carry with me. In fact, I got the title of this Tip from a sign I saw last week which read, “There is a lot more to living than just taking breaths!”
The sign prompted me to ask several of my family members and friends to name three of their favorite things that they like to do. I have kept a running list that I thought I would share with you. But wait! Before I share what others have said, I would like you to take a moment to name three things of your own. What are the three things you enjoy doing most in life? I have a suspicion that the things you write down are some of the same ones I have already collected. Have you done it? Okay, then, here is the list that I have I collected so far from family and friends over the last few days:
Spending time with my family
Spending quality time with friends
Traveling and going on vacations
Going to ballgames and other sporting events
Going to see a good movie
Going to church and worshipping God
Playing games – both video and board games
Going to amusement parks like Disney World or Six Flags
Exercising – especially walking, jogging and running
Working on my vocation
Going to school and expanding my education
Studying about and making investments
Reading
Being a positive influence on others
Snow skiing
Spending time with my pet
Going out to eat
Playing golf
Having intimate time with my spouse
Teaching good information
Organizing things
Isn’t that a great list? And, that came from just asking a few of my close friends and family members what they like doing! I was amazed at how much people enjoyed talking about this topic. It seemed to help them remember what life is really all about. If we aren’t careful, we will spend all of our time taking breaths and not enjoying the only life that is ours!
May I share my heart with you? I have discovered, much to my own dismay, that I tend to be a workaholic. I think it may stem from the fact that as a young person I was not very responsible or diligent. In fact, I had a bit of a “lazy streak” inside of me. I am both ashamed and embarrassed by that admission, and while I know that I cannot undo my past, I may have gone a little overboard in my effort to cultivate a better work ethic. The key is for me to find balance in this area of my life. I don’t want to work just for the sake of working; therefore, I have to force myself to stop working so much and allow myself to enjoy spending quality time with family and friends.
I don’t know if you can identify with that or not, but I thought I would share a page out of my own life to help you see how important it is to learn that life is more than just taking a lot of breaths. It really is made up of all of the activities mentioned in my list, and of course, there are many more. I trust that you found your three favorite things somewhere on the list, too. And, who knows? Maybe you enjoy doing things that others haven’t thought about doing yet.
I once heard someone say, “If it’s not illegal, immoral, or fattening, then I’m for it!” I think I would prefer to leave off the fattening part because things that are fattening are really good! Ha! Ha!
I hope you are enjoying this life that you have been given and I trust that the things you are doing are helping you to enjoy it to the fullest!
Tip: There is a lot more to living than just taking breaths!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Dr. Robert A. Rohm
P.S. – It might be interesting to take your own survey by asking your family and friends what they enjoy and hear from their perspective what they think life is all about!
