Last night before family prayer and bedtime, Trissy made a comment on the difference between 'living', and 'existence'. She told me that I "know how to 'live'".
Do I?
What is 'Existence', and what is 'Life'?
Existence is breathing, one's body working properly, going through the motions of life. A dead - or dying - soul that cannot escape, simply because it's earthly prison of flesh and bone is too healthy to release it.
Or, it's the act of moving through life, but not living it. Trissy described it as in a scene from one of our family-favorite movies: Rafting down the river. Landing at a sandbar where we will camp. Hurrying to get the rafts unloaded, hurrying to get camp set up so we can hurry and get to bed so we can get up early in the morning to hurry and get the rafts loaded, and hurry down the river - to the next camp site.
Life is physical, just like existence. But life is something more.
Life is Joy. Life is Peace in the midst of deepest pain. Life finds it's greatest pleasures in little things like working with it's hands, the glittery sparkles naturally embedded in a flower petal, or even the brilliant color of some man-made item; the feel of a cool, hard-wood floor beneath it's bare feet; a well-written article. An exceptional voice. A lovely form. A fine face.
Life has (or takes) the time to smell the roses, right an over-turned bug, or dance in the rain.
Existence endures. Life enjoys.
Existence mourns. Life marvels.
Existence is miserable in hard circumstances. Life is hopeful, in spite of hard circumstances.
Existence is uncaring. Life is unselfish.
Existence struggles. Life shares.
Do I Live? I pray so.
No comments:
Post a Comment