Tony Campolo tells the story of a time when he picked on a student in the front row of his class, “Young man, how long have you lived?”
“Twenty-three years.”
“No, no, no. That’s how long your heart has been pumping blood. That’s not how long you’ve lived.”
He went on to describe a time when, as a 9 year-old he went to the top of the Empire State Building. He ran around and then suddenly stopped. “In one mystical, magical moment I took in the city. I lived that moment with such intensity that if I live a million years, that moment would still be a part of my consciousness.”
Then he looked at the student and said, “Now, let me ask you again. How long have you lived?”
The student looked back and said, “Professor, when you say it that way, maybe an hour, maybe a minute, maybe two minutes. Most of my life has been the meaningless passage of time between just a few moments when I was genuinely alive.”
How about you? Most of us don’t exercise the freedom we’ve been given. Our routines define us. Here’s an illustration you can try on yourself. Pay attention to yourself breathing. The average shallow inhalation takes perhaps a second. Now look at your watch and time yourself as you take a long, deep breath.
How long did it take? Seven seconds? If it did, that means that on average you have seven times the lung capacity that you use. That’s what it’s like to be fully alive, to use everything that you’ve got. It’s an intensity that most of us rarely achieve. We are so used to shallow breaths, we think that’s normal.
Every now and then, I run into someone who is using their full lung capacity. Bruce Wilkinson is a man like that. He knows how to live life to the max. He said, “I don’t ever want to commit the sin of unbelief.” Working with him is a constant exercise of your faith.
It’s time to stop messing around. Life is zipping by. Yesterday our five children were babies in diapers. Now three are in college and a fourth is going to go around the world for a year. Life is like that – Bamm! Game over. Cash in the chips. What did you risk along the way and what did you get out of the deal?
We whiz by life’s milestones. My grandmother died recently. She was 97. The last picture I ever saw of her was her on the back of a Harley Davidson. That’s how I want to remember her. How do you want to be remembered.
wow daddy that is really good stuff! i’m going to take more risks! I love you so much and couldn’t ask or even wish for a better father!
Thanks Dad. This is wonderful, encouraging, and inspiring. Right now I’m sitting next to two monks in Thailand who are on the computer looking at pictures of extremely buff men. I see it everywhere… people wishing they were ___, but too afraid to do anything.
Love this! Living free defiantly is a mind-set; perspective of the thought if you will. I find this alot within the the study of many different religions, spiritual practices, especially Buddhism. We are taught in the conventional education system that to understand anything we must measure it, or measure ourselves in comparison, unfortunately this often draws us away from the present. The ever present beauty of life! Somewhat of a gift that I stumble upon your blog! Thank you for your delightful sharing!!
Cheers
Dave
chico, CA
I am 34 years old, now I am depression. I hv finished my all the responsibilities towards my family that mean after expiry my father as elder brother I arranged marriages for 02 sisters and 01 brother, he is also settled.Recently I married, and I cannot act as husband to my wife and cannot cheat her with false love.Please advise me
Now, I want become a monk and want spend my rest of the life for the god and to help the people.
Ravi –
I don’t know if you’ll see this or not. If so, you are now 39 years old. How have the last 5 years gone for you? Did you connect with God? Did you help others?