Safely Passing Go
If life were like a board game, I'd like to think it's like Monopoly. Everyone starts at Go and makes their way around the board collecting properties, building houses and motels, and trying to avoid the pitfalls of the game while safely making it to Go to collect another 200.00. The last three blocks before Go are particularly hairy if they are purchased by another player and have real estate built on it. Not to mention the glaring Luxury Tax between the two properties. You try to make the best decisions to come out on top and hope you can get around the board just one more time to keep going.
Tomorrow, I am safely passing Go again. Not in the game, but life. Barring nothing catastrophic happens in the next 5 hours and 24 minutes I will hit double digit 5's and have completed another go around the board of life or another 365 days to see another year complete.
Really if you think about it, Monopoly is based on decisions, choices, and hardships. And what happens to you is truly all in the roll of the dice. Throw doubles, you get to roll again. Awesome. Roll another set of doubles, you get to go yet again. Even better. Roll a third set of doubles and you go straight to jail. Not so awesome. If you are fortunate, you have a get out of jail free card. If not, it's all in the roll of the dice again, or you have to pay a fine. Kind of like life you just never know what's coming, but you roll the dice anyway hoping you get the best roll you can.
I am thankful every year I safely reach go. And the more times I complete that circle around the board I am more and more thankful for that which I have. My parents still alive and healthy. My friends that aren't friends, but family. My clients who I love dearly. My dogs, my job, my house, my home, and all sorts of luxuries that most people can't afford. Most importantly I am grateful I am healthy and have all my parts functioning, even if they need oil, including my mind. Many people don't live to see 55 while others live to see it impaired in some way. I am grateful my world stays the same, because it means all is well for today. And that's all we have. Today. No one is promised tomorrow and no one is promised their world will be the same tomorrow so if you feel bored sometimes, be grateful, you're world is the same.
My hope this year is to roll the dice more and take more chances. I want to do more. Every Wednesday I score a woman's basketball league and every Wednesday I think, I want to play basketball. I want to be in a sport. I want to do more. I want to play more, experience more, love more, and give more. I don't want to work more and I don't want to sleep more (although I do like me a good nap). I don't want to miss out. This year I am as close to 60 as I am far from 50. That is eye opening for me. I don't want to take anything for granted, including that I will safely reach go on March 11, 2023. I want to live each day enjoying and appreciating. I want to not be afraid of achieving. I think I'll start that today on the anniversary of my 55th time passing go. I have been so afraid of putting my blog out there. I'm afraid people won't like it or worse, no one will read it. I'm not looking to get rich or famous. I know I write very well, am very descriptive and am Queen of Analogies. I know I make a difference when I write and I want to continue to do so and the only way to see if this will be successful, is to bite the bullet, face my fear of rejection, and try. Just try Chris. No one will ever read your writing if you keep it hidden to yourself. So, I guess that's how I'll start. It beats trying to finish regrouting and re-caulking my bathroom by tomorrow, which isn't going to happen anyway....
So maybe that's my theme for this year. Go for it and TRY. Don't be afraid to take those steps. Take the chances and LIVE. It's really what it's all about.
So could someone please pass me the dice? I am starting my 56th journey around the board to go again and I want to make the best of the rolls so that if God willing I do safely reach go again, I'll have lots to talk about when I get there.