Word for 2011: Fleeting

"Go for it now. The future is promised to no one." ~Wayne Dyer

Each year I try to choose one word that sums up the last 365 days. Last year, my word was "awestruck." After a lot of thought, I decided to go with "fleeting" for my 2011 word.

Sadly, I was reminded repeatedly this year that life is fleeting. I stood by friends and family as they buried fathers and brothers, grandfathers and sons. I mourned with thousands of other orange-clad fans in the aftermath of a plane crash that took members of the OSU basketball community, again. Whether you are a 15 year old blonde headed kid, a Division I basketball coach or an 80 year old grandfather....life can be gone in an instant. It's fleeting.

Even though I had already chosen this word a couple of weeks ago, losing my Uncle David this past week just affirmed the choice.
And yet, despite the sadness and pain that this idea of fleeting lives can cause, it is in light of this that I saw amazing things. That a church is so much more than a building. That a family is more than blood. That sometimes one hug from someone at the right time can just make things better. That unwaivering faith can produce miraculous results. That Jesus offers hope in the darkest night. In those moments....when we see that life is fleeting...we see, too, that life is good.

And this reminder that life has fleeting allowed me to focus on two important things.

It has made me determined to focus on making a difference in other people's lives. To pray for those for whom no one else does. To volunteer with an organization I believe in. To buy bed sheets and sweatsuits for someone to open on Christmas morning. To do what I can, when I can, with what I have. Even when that's something small, sometimes that makes a difference.

And I have found a renewed sense of urgancy to really live. To set goals that seem crazy....like running 13.1 miles. To take risks to check items off of a bucket list. To do as the saying goes and sing like no one is watching. To make new friends with strangers on a bus. To spend too much money on a fancy dress to wear in a pasture at a steeplechase. To do whatever it takes to experience life while we have the chance.

2011 reminded me that life is fleeting. And beautiful. And ours for the living. Cheers to doing so in 2012!