By SHEILA YONEMOTO, PT
The way I see it, life consists of moments, similar to a moving picture made up of still pictures strung together. The quality of films improves with the number of still pictures that are put together, which means smaller movements of change are recorded, making the “motion” more fluid.
This is similar to how photographs are made and how the number of pixels makes a difference in the clarity of the picture. The more pixels, the less grainy it looks, and the more defined it looks, especially when you enlarge the picture.
If we apply this same principle to our lives, we may be able to see frame-by-frame how we look to others. If a moment in time is scanned and frozen for you, what would you want to see? Perhaps that is what we do when someone dies. At the funeral, the eulogy tries to capture the essence of the person by certain moments in his or her life. Certainly, it is only a very brief summary of a person’s life, but we try to give a positive report to gain closure.
I am sure that most people do not live life trying to make a nice story for their funeral, but perhaps we can look at living life, knowing there will be an end to it. How can we make the most of what we have left? If we choose to think that life is made of up moments, then all we have is what presents to us now, in the moment. How do we choose to make the most of that moment?
Do you consider the person in front of you or beside you and make the encounter meaningful and pleasant? Do you eat your food with thought as to how it nourishes your body or makes it more effective? Do you do your daily tasks with enthusiasm, thinking of how it is going to help you realize your dreams? Are you living your life with the purpose of accomplishing great things?
Sometimes, the entire weight of the world seems to be hanging on our heads, and setting off on life’s journey seems daunting. But, if you consider that all we have is the moment right before our eyes, then maybe we can make that moment the best moment there is.
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Sheila Yonemoto, P.T., has been a physical therapist for over 30 years, specializing in Integrative Manual Therapy utilizing a holistic approach. She can be reached at Yonemoto Physical Therapy, 55 S. Raymond Ave, Suite 100, Alhambra, CA 91801. Call 626 576 0591 for a FREE consultation, or visit www.yonemoto.com for more information. Opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.