Time to step up

Hello High Heelers,

I’m currently ‘down under’ – and I don’t mean being lazy beneath my duvet covers. Nope, I’m in Oz. The place of wizards, scarecrows, tin men and in my case, my brother, his wife and my new little nephew.  You know it’s important to get away from your reality from time to time to disconnect from your norm and see your world from the outside in. When we get stuck in the routine of day to day living we forget that there are new adventures to be had and new places to see. Sometimes we have to get out to appreciate what we have in our world.

Meeting travellers is one of my favourite things to do. Everyone has a story and when I’m outside of the bustling Jozi city (like on a 12 hour flight) I actually take the time to stop and listen to those around me. I think city dwellers tend to cling to our precious time and preserve it for our good friends and families, and anything outside of our circle does not get our attention as we’re just too busy. But are we really that busy?

At the airport my mom and I sat chatting to a young lady before we boarded our flight. We quickly learnt that she’s had a tough life so far. She’s 37, on her second marriage, has kids at home and a family far away, and most tragically, is surviving Multiple Sclerosis. She says she’s surviving her degenerative disease, rather than suffering from it, but it was quite clear that travelling was difficult for her. Her face twitches, she’s in pain and she is well aware that she’ll not be around to see her children grow old and grey. Her mom sent her a ticket to Tasmania (where she lives), knowing that time with her daughter is precious and rare.

What would you do if you knew you had limited time left? Would you really worry about that annoying neighbour and how they insist on leaving their trash in the corridor? Would you hoot at that idiot in the traffic who insisted on cutting you off – allowing yourself to get annoyed and frustrated over someone else’s actions? Would you resist splurging on that dream holiday with your family, or a ticket overseas to see your aged mom? Would you really?

Sitting next to this lady I discovered that the most difficult thing for her at that moment in time was climbing onto a flight to Sydney. She’s a terrified flyer – as am I. On checking our tickets to encourage her a little, we discovered that she was seated directly next to my mom and I. Coincidence – I think not. She was brave enough to venture into the world despite her condition and deep pain and as compensation for her courage, her journey was softened along the way. When you journey in the right direction, the path is kind.

This week as you go about your daily routine, think about the dreams that you’ve brushed aside or the people that you’ve neglected to see because you lack the time. The truth is – you do lack the time. Your time on earth is limited and you have one opportunity to live your best life. So live it. Travel. Adventure. Manage your fears. Conquer your dreams. Be kind to strangers. Because if you live like time is limited, you’ll probably fill it more meaningfully.

Have a wonderful week. Step up to your dreams and take on your life’s adventure.

Yours in heels,

Jo

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