Missed Opportunities

Last night, I set my alarm for 3:45 A.M. When it went off this morning, I was disoriented and felt a bit confused. Then, I recognized the sound and got up to put the coffee on. (We still use an old stove-top percolator. It makes the BEST coffee.) And I prepared to enjoy one of Life’s frequently missed opportunities.

I sat beside Dan on the bed to wake him up gently and slowly. He opened his eyes for a second then closed them again when he felt me at his side. Cookie came from the other side of the bed to sit beside me. Smart dog that she is, she already had an idea what I was about.

“Good morning, Honeybunch,” I said to his half-open eyes. Cookie turned to look at him as he stirred a little bit. “The coffee is almost ready. Wanna go see the sunrise?”

One of our favorite summer activities is to get up early before the day begins, sit beside the water and watch the sun explode over the horizon. One minute there’s an orange or pinkish hue in the sky, and the next minute you need to shield your eyes from the glow of the sun as it pops up into the visible sky.

Morning Magic

You can see a hundred sunrises, yet no two are ever alike. Each one has its own special magic feeling. There is an almost sacred quality to that time of the morning.

Cookie can never understand why we have stopped the Jeep and parked. She came with us, but her goal during any ride is to see deer, turkeys and squirrels. Especially squirrels.

After the sun springs up, we leave. Some days we take Cookie around a few back roads hoping to see wildlife moving. Other days we hurry home to enjoy breakfast in the morning light.

Today, as I watched the sun appear, the thought occurred to me that this miracle happens every single day, whether we see it or not. And then I thought about how many of these we could see if we took the time to try. How many missed opportunities could be miracles if we had put in a little effort?

With some regret, I thought about all the times the sun popped over the horizon in my life time, and I seldom paid any attention. Some mornings, when I was driving home from work with the sun in my eyes, I even complained about it. It wasn’t until I took the time to enjoy those special moments, that I recognized the missed opportunities of my past.

Time Speeds Past Us

Life very quickly passes us by. Time is fleeting. How much of it do we waste on things that have no meaning? How many missed opportunities will you look back upon and regret in the twilight of your life? How many bucket list items will you have to cross off as impossible because it’s too late to check them off as done?

Every minute we are alive is a new opportunity. We can either plan to use it wisely, we can choose to waste it with time-sucking activities, or we can ride along aimlessly on the river of life and leave the moment empty.

Adults Recognize Missed Opportunity

As a child, we have a life full of opportunities ahead of us. We don’t have a shape, a plan for what we will be as an adult. In our teen years, we start to put ideas together to decide how we want to spend the rest of our lives. Young and naive, we don’t understand the meaning of opportunity.

Then, adulthood hits. Suddenly we are saddled with the pressures and responsibilities of being an adult. We become more aware of missed opportunities when they happen. We make resolutions not to miss them again. Yet, many opportunities never make a second appearance.

As an adult, our time and life are consumed with responsibilities. Family, work, bills, and other things occupy the minutes of our days. We think there is no time for quiet sunrises.

A life of all responsibilities and no morning rides takes a toll on our health. As we get older and our health fades, our thoughts begin to turn toward our own mortality. Nobody lives forever.

Is Money Worth Our Time?

Suddenly, we realize we have a four bedroom house with a two-car garage, two cars to park in it, a pleasure boat and an ATV. But, the boat has only seen the water twice and the ATV has touched dirt three times. That vacation in Mexico we talked about is still unchecked on our bucket list.

Health deteriorates as we age. We want to start making up for all those missed opportunities, but now our health may not allow us to do so. Why didn’t we do all those things when we were young and spry and able?

There’s no time like the present. What’s holding you back now? If not now, when? How many more missed opportunities will you regret before you take your last breath?

Set your alarm for tomorrow’s sunrise. Give it a chance to change your life.