The Living Family Tree

Days before the New Year I happened to come across a saying that has remained at the forefront of my mind. It was an old Irish Proverb that said “Enjoy living…because you’re dead a lot longer.” I laughed out loud – it was humorous and right to the point – thank you Ireland. It became my New Year’s resolution. Enjoy living. It has a nice ring to it, that word – “living.” The relatives of “living” also flow pleasantly off the tongue: “spirited, alive, invigorated, nourished, refreshed, dynamic, vivacious and zestful.” I think the Living Family are “glass half full” people and I’ve decided that I want to be a part of that family. Just imagine what the Living Family tree looks like…Let’s start with Spirited. Spirited is super cute. She is in her mid-twenties and is full of energy. She isn’t necessarily the cheerleader type, but she is a cheerleader for others. She usually wears tennis shoes to her job. Her hair is in a long pony tail and she prefers skipping. Her current account of clients consist of Fireworks Warehouse, Disney, Santa’s Ideas and Gifts Inc., and Team Mascots….Spirited is the grandchild to Alive who is married to Living. Alive is a painter, photographer and sculptor. His body stands tall, towering over his family. His chest is broad and his hair is bright white…matching his teeth. Alive’s work is influenced by, well, life in general. From painting dolphins playing in the waves to capturing a hang-glider at sunset, Alive’s work remains timeless. You stand taller and breath deeper when hanging out with Alive. Invigorated is the son of Living and Alive. He is a deep-sea diver and a pilot. He takes his clients to multiple destination spots around the world. “Soak up the Sun and Stare at the Stars” is his motto. People love his company – they are compelled to enjoy the moment when he is around. Nourished and Refreshed are married and live on a large, beautiful farm. Day in and day out they work together fixing fresh meals for the family. Nourished takes great pride in her dishes. Each ingredient has been carefully harvested from the time it was planted. Refreshed compliments his wife while practicing his PHd in “soul singing.” Refreshed awakens the soul with his practice allowing it to sing a little louder throughout the day. Nourished and Refreshed give the family a strong backbone and endless support. Dynamic and Vivacious are also married and they just had their baby boy, Zestful. Dynamic is an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker. He is sharp, smart and usually leads the way for others. You feel like conquering the world when you’re with Dynamic. His wife, Vivacious, is an entertainer and teacher. She performs and teaches dance and singing. She loves getting people to feel the mood and rhythm of music. You can’t help but move your hips around Vivacious. Their son, Zestful, already has a hunger for life. He explores everything and is already walking at such a young age. He is a very happy, adventurous baby. He will grow up to take on several challenges with ease. You can’t help but see the world through a child’s eyes around Zestful. And now finally, there is me and you who are part of the Living Family Tree. Everyday we take a breath, we are Living…we are Spirited, Alive, Invigorated, Nourished, Refreshed, Dynamic, Vivacious and Zestful. Now that is a family I will wake up to every morning. With the start of the new year my resolution is to “live” out every day