My letter to life

Before I joined family to car pool to Jaden’s baptism this morning, I heard the voice recording of the century’s pop star king, Michael Jackson, and the radio show hosts went on about the world’s loss of a legendary singer, musician, and peacemaker. I couldn’t help but think for a moment that everyone somehow deserves MJ’s level of recognition and honor, that is, we live each day among important and loving friends and family who might not be there from one day to the next.
Jaden’s baptism is a celebration of life. We are celebrating Jaden’s life today especially, and I feel that we are truly celebrating everyone and everything that brought him to this world, from his grandparents and parents to every breath he inhales and exhales and to every person who pinches his cheek or smells the baptismal oil and incense in his hair. Why do babies make us feel so close to purity or truth? They just are…they drool, giggle, laugh, cry and show emotions that we can all express, but as we grow into children, teenagers, and finally adults we tend to protect or mask ourselves. Society makes us believe that displaying our emotions in public are shameful or inappropriate. But, if we open ourselves and allow a tiny beam of emotion to penetrate the outside world, then we would slowly be letting others to share, in truth, our joys and sorrows with us. And, wouldn’t that give people the opportunity to make us laugh when we are down, listen to us when we are lost, or wipe off our drool when we are sick or dying?
Today is also the ten-year anniversary of a friend my high school friends and I lost to sickness. How precious life is, and how is it that we think we have control over our lives from one minute to the next? No, we cannot always be in control. We cannot predict if we will live to 18 years old, 27 years old, or 80 years old. But, we can try to live for today and remind ourselves that we are given the opportunity each day to show our loved ones who we are and how we love. Each day is precious because of life.