Unfiltered
“There’s two dates in time that they’ll carve on your stone, and everyone knows what they mean; what’s more important is the time that is known, in that little dash in between...”- “Pushing up Daisies”, by Garth BrooksOn the day that the good Lord chooses to call me home, I hope I am doing something that fills my heart with happiness. I hope on the day that my family chooses to return my body to the earth, that they saddle up my ashes on top of a good looking horse and lead him to a green pasture overlooking the land my family has tended to for years. As they quietly unload the remnants of what was once my body, and scatter my ashes along the edge of the creek, I pray that the only sounds they hear are the birds singing their happy songs, the rippling of the water over the rocky creek bottom, and the swishing of the horse’s tails. No chirping cell phones, no music blaring from an Ipod. I hope they speak kindly of me; telling stories of how I lived and of the legacy I am leaving behind.A legacy that is more than stacks of laundry, dirty dishes, and an 8 to 5 office job.A life full of laughter and love for my husband and kids, horses and dogs, friends and family members.I hope to raise children that know there is an entire world beyond their fingertips; beyond the Facebook status updates and Twitter feeds. Young adults that can figure out that sometimes the only evidence of their idiot mistakes they need are memories; memories that fade with age and heal with time. Adults that can carry on conversations with other adults face to face and that can deal with hardships on their own, without needing the input from the rest of the world.Because experiencing life second hand is not living (thanks to the doctor’s office hold music for that reminder!). Life is too short to be spent trying to live vicariously through our “friends” Facebook updates. A good life should not be judged by your Instagram photos or number of songs downloaded from Itunes. Get out from behind the lens once in a while, and learn to value what you are seeing #unfiltered.
I want to live a happy, prosperous, love-filled life; so when the time comes to start pushing up daisies, I will be missed for so much more than a social- media presence. We all deserve to live this one trip around the sun to the fullest, and I intend to start living it for myself.I hope you can live your life for yourself, too. #Unfiltered. #Uninterrupted. Un-hash-tagged.Until next time,Richelle