I remember watching the movie Dead Poet’s Society completely captivated. Robin Williams played a passionate English teacher at a boarding school who tries to reach his young students with inspiring words from famous poets. He enthusiastically jumps on desks and passionately quotes some of the greats like Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman.
“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately.”
“Make your lives extraordinary.”
“The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.” (And, he asks: What verse do you want to contribute?)
He wanted his students to come alive.
That movie stayed with me long after watching it for the first time. It spoke to something I felt in my gut. I have a sense of awe about life and a desire to soak up as much life as possible. I grew up with parents who struggled to be happy, so studying how to live full out became my mission.
Happiness is not always easy. Sometimes it takes work.
It’s easier to get tangled in a daily grind (work, bills and boo boos) and forget the perspective of seeing life as a gift. And that’s why we need poets to remind us of this grand adventure we take on each day.
Parenthood is an adventure like no other. It’s hard. It’s magical. It’s both extraordinary and ordinary.
Dreamy expectations can clash with reality. We hope for these movie-like family days of bliss, and then we get served a big piece of regular life with a teething baby, a child who wouldn’t sleep all night, a tired you, work stress, or nonstop whining from a little one. We’ve all had that day that does not go as we hoped. Yet just as quick, the universe aligns, and everything feels like it’s going your way.
We have to do what it takes to keep our enthusiasm alive. We have to know what that looks like.
For me that looks like …
- quality family time
- a daily practice of listing a few things I’m grateful for
- writing in a journal
- some time in nature
- working out/running
- an awesome music playlist
- working toward some well-defined goals
- spending time with positive people
- helping people in some positive way
- getting fired up with inspiring podcasts
- reading books, magazines and (positive stories) in newspapers
- watching inspiring movies
- SLEEP!
- scheduling fun things to look forward to (Use the MacKid calendar!)
What does your list look like?
We all need a reminder once in a while to live full out. Here’s yours.
Take the reminder from Dead Poet's Society: Live deliberately and make your life extraordinary.
Carpe Diem my friends!
Sandra Bilbray is a nationally published writer, positive human, and publisher of Asheville Macaroni Kid. She lives in Asheville with her husband, twin girls and two dogs. Email Sandra at SandraB@macaronikid.com
