The saying life is but a vapor is so true. One minute you are here and the next you’re not. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. Therefore, it is important to celebrate life while we have breath in our bodies. We should celebrate milestones such as graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. These things represent continuity and growth, the unbroken threads that shape a person’s life. They are a sign of triumph over adversity, of strength, and of hope, particularly in the later years when they represent decades of experience. When we celebrate life, it is reflected in our physical being, mental being, family, and community relationships.
Celebrating is good for people. It’s an opportunity for bonding, activity, conversation, laughter, and excitement. Did you know that laughter opens the airways, lowers blood pressure, and relaxes tight muscles? Laugher is truly good for the soul!
Celebrating Life…
Mentally…
Celebrating life is also important for our mental being. We are social creatures, and we’re happier when we connect with each other. Multiple generations of family come together at family reunions, graduations, birthdays, and anniversaries; to think about their shared history, to tell familiar stories and unveil new ones, to enjoy seeing how the children have grown, to feel close to people they’ve known their whole lives. Wedding anniversaries remind life partners of the years they’ve shared, the struggles they’ve endured, the triumphs they’ve savored. Celebrating these events allows people the chance to feel like they’ve achieved something significant, that their commitment to each other has value in the eyes of their family and friends. The joy and comfort of these events is an important source of strength.
With Family…
Celebrating life with our families are very important! I absolutely love celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with my family. This is a time when my whole family comes together. We get a chance to catch up because everyone is so busy throughout the year, we play games, eat a whole lot, and just enjoy each other’s company. It’s an opportunity to deepen our bonds. These moments reinforce the continuity and endurance of family ties, another important source of strength and peace when challenges arise.
Our Communities…
Let’s not forget about how our communities also play an important role in celebrating life. When we look at community, we find that community relationships and bonds are just as important as family relationships and bonds. Family bonds aren’t the only ones that help us stay connected. When a person has worked and lived in a community for years, long-standing friendships are often the result. Relationships of parents who raised their children together, professionals who worked together, people who shopped at the same stores, sent their children to the same schools and doctors and baseball practices, are also important to celebrate on special occasions.
A healthy person understands the whole picture of life as a continuous journey, punctuated by moments of pain and of joy and always evolving. What are some ways we can celebrate life each day?
· Wake up with a grateful and thankful heart no matter what is going on around you.
· Live each day as if it is your last.
· Focus on the positive in your life.
· Have a REAL conversation with yourself!
· Let go of the past! Release YOUrself! Give yourself some GRACE!
· Live in the present moment.
· Flourish where you are planted.
· Think outside of the box! Explore new things! Be a risk taker!
· Believe that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD!
· Dream BIG! Don’t put yourself in a box!
· Do things that make you happy!
Contributing Writer, Jacquie “ooh” Johnson
Jacquie Johnson is a native Texan who resides in Denton, TX with her husband and two daughters. She has two older sons who reside in California, and one grandson. Jacquie is the founder of Jacquie ooh an online resource hub for women. Her goal is help women live healthy and whole lives. She is the creator of the Glow Collection by Jacquie ooh, an organic skincare line where she provides gourmet food for your skin. Jacquie is heavily involved in her community where she has been sworn in as a precinct chair for the Democrats of Denton County. She is also a new author to two books: Glow Through It 21 Day Devotional Journal for Women and Dare to Sparkle Entrepreneur Startup Guide+Dream Big 4 Day Devotional. For more information on Jacquie “ooh” Johnson please visit her website at www.jacquieooh.com