“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I am always rushing. As a native New Yorker, I am pretty good at it. I can cross a street faster than most, beeline my way through a jam-packed subway, and nimbly squeeze into a closing elevator. And I never miss a train.
But I was en route to the 2013 Boston Marathon when I missed the T at Central Square. I was annoyed, tormenting myself for lost time. Yet, I had no idea that those extra six minutes until the next train would save my life. That is because I was only two blocks from reaching the finish line when I saw the first bomb detonate.
We recite a blessing in the Jewish faith called the Shehecheyanu to offer thanks for new and unusual experiences. It reads:
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, shehechehyanu, v'kiy'manu, v'higianu laz'man hazeh.
"Blessed are You, our God, Creator of all, for giving us life, sustaining us, and enabling us to reach this point."
I do not want to rush my one precious life. I want to notice the world around me. I want to practice mindfulness by smiling when I am happy, laughing when I am humored, and crying when I am sad.
When we rush, we forget to be present. Sprinting through life can cause us to miss out on what we cherish most. We should therefore not hesitate to take our foot off the gas, pause, and be thankful for the opportunity to live in the moment.
— Seth Shapiro