W h a t  i s  i t  y o u  p l a n  t o  d o  w i t h  y o u r  o n e  w i l d  a n d  p r e c i o u s  l i f e ?

Laugh. Mostly because I can't help it. Whether I'm happy, tickled, nervous, or surprised, it just springs out of me. And it's contagious. My laughter connects me to other people; it helps me find the people to whom I want to be connected.

Try as I might, I will also continue to laugh at inappropriate moments. I'm practicing a serious face for my upcoming wedding. Thinking about practicing a serious face makes me want to laugh. If I let out a chuckle during my vows, it's just as well; he is the one with whom I laugh the longest and hardest.

I will never again let an entire year pass without scuba diving, even if that earns me an eccentric reputation at my neighborhood swimming pool. When the only sound is that of my own breath and the only sight is deep blue, I have no choice but to focus on that floating feeling that makes me feel free and light and alive. Diving centers me in a way that makes yoga seem like a scam.

I will embrace the growing closeness and admiration I feel for my family as I age, mature, and move farther away. When I have teenagers someday, I'll try to remember that I didn't consciously appreciate that soft place to fall until my twenties.

I will refuse to be paralyzed by indecision. Things will turn out fine. Or maybe they won't. But either way, I'm sure I'll have something to laugh about.

– Cindy Kellogg

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