A Conversation of a Lifetime

I met a very interesting fellow tonight. We engaged in some initial conversation, but then I really seemed to connect with him and we chatted for about 15 minutes or so. I found out that he is the uncle of a good friend of my wife and mine, and a great uncle of two of my former students.

What really struck me about our conversation was the passion with which he spoke of the past. You see, this man is living what is probably the last part of his life in a skilled nursing facility. He used to live on a farm, and when I asked him about it, his eyes lit up with fond remembrance of days past. As he described his love of the farm, I sensed a longing to return there, and at one point he stopped momentarily with emotion welling up inside of him. You could absolutely feel in your soul how much he missed it there.

He went on to talk about his military career, his schooling, his parents and his wife of over forty years that had long since passed from this world. While he enjoyed staying in his new home, it would never be the same as the green pastures he loved his entire life. He even mentioned how he felt he was nearing the "end of the road." Loneliness was his constant companion.

None of us really know how we will spend the end of our days. Will it be in our own home? With loved ones? Alone? While we can't predict the future, we can enjoy and experience what God has given us today.

I love how Michael Gerber, author "The E-Myth" and "The E-Myth Revisited" describes how great people live their lives:

"Great people have a vision of their lives that they practice emulating each and every day. They go to work on their lives, not just in their lives. Their lives are spent living out the vision they have of their future, in the present. They compare what they've done with what they intended to do. And where there's a disparity between the two, they don't wait very long to make up the difference."

Intentional living with intentional purpose. Not living by accident, but with a vision. God asks us to create our lives actively with Him in mind. A good friend of mine says to "choose your regrets wisely." I might add that not choosing at all might be the biggest regret of all.

I'll close with a question I've been asking myself a lot, and I hope you'll let this resonate with you as well. What is God's vision for my life, and how am I planning to get there?