by Kimberlee Decunzo

Created on: October 01, 2008   Last Updated: October 02, 2008

Trees and flowers are alive. Heck even yeast is alive in those little packages they sell at the grocery store. How that works, I have no idea. Nevertheless, my guess is that it's pretty boring in there. But to live is to take action, get involved, take chances and make mistakes and grow. As human beings, we have the gift to choose our paths in life. Unfortunately, the world around us can be cruel and sometimes we have to make decisions we don't like. Perhaps to take a job we don't particularly care for just to pay the bills on time and keep the credit card companies from calling us three times a day.

That's why we have hobbies. Don't get me wrong many people have careers that they love and have no worries about their monetary standing. I want to be just like them but I am of the other breed that made different choices and I do what I do to get things done. But I still live! I live through music I hear and the people that I meet. I try everything, within reason, at least once.

I don't want to be in my last days regretting what I'd never done because I know I will never regret what I did. Missed opportunities are a leading cause of strife in ones life. "I should have bought that lottery ticket", "I should have gone on that vacation to Europe", and "I should have gone to my kids little league game instead of that meeting" You get the idea. You have one life to live and it's up to you to make yourself happy. As a woman with children, I look at them everyday and see the potential in each one.

My daughter could be an artist; my son could be a great basketball player. I encourage them to follow these dreams now while they're young because it does get harder as we get older. It makes realize that we always have what it takes to do something great and we should never give up hope that it could really take off.

I love photography. Do I think I will be a millionaire from taking pictures? No, but it sure makes me happy and when I share my photos I get great feedback that makes me feel like I'm making a mark in this world or that I've at least touched someone with my work. I even end up with some great memories for my children in the process. The choice is yours. Be the tree, the flower, or the yeast. Or go out and make your mark and give it your all. People who 'live' their lives make great friends, partners and parents. Seize every opportunity that is set before you and you'll never regret a single moment.

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