What Do You Want Your Life to Look Like?

I am well aware of the fact that life is short. You might say I am pessimistic but I say realistic. My mom was a healthy and fit woman until she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 48 years of age and passed away at 53. I am turning 39 in just a few short months. If I were to live as long as her then I have less than 15 years left. I don't live my life as though I'm dying soon but I understand that it is a possibility as both of my parents have had cancer (with a heart attack thrown in there).  I want to live the life I have well; I don't want to just get through my days or wait for Gary to retire.

So if I have 15 years left, what do I want them to look like? 

I want a strong marriage. I want my husband to know that I am so happy that we said "yes" to each other and that I would rather spend time with him than anyone else. I want to hike and explore and have both of us feel loved and secure. I want to safely challenge each other to be the best that we can be and to continue to push beyond our comfort zones just a bit.

I want my kids to know unconditional love and to feel safe and confident. I want them to acquire the skills they need to be out in the world and caring for others. I want them to deeply consider their faith and what it means to them. My hope is that even if I'm not around that they will know I am so proud of them just as I'm sure my mom would be of me.

I want to grow and learn. My greatest learning experiences have been through travel and parenting (including fostering). I love reading books to learn and I enjoy being challenged in conversations with others.

I want to be healthy and strong. My favourite exercise is hiking or walking in the forest and NOT working out at the gym. I want my body to continue to function well and therefore need to take care of it. As a biology teacher I have marvelled over the intricacies of the human body since I was 14 years old. I am grateful that my thyroid is working well and that my mind is in a good place. I recently watched Embrace on Netflix (highly recommend it) and felt inspired more than ever to, well, embrace this body of mine. I was 12 when someone first mentioned that I had a big butt and nose–I had no idea! From that point on, I don't think a day went by where I didn't think about what I was eating, how much I was exercising and how I looked. This is what so many women go through and I have had enough. I want my kids to know that all body types are inspirational and I want them to see various forms celebrated. It is more important to take care of the one that you have been given than to try to change it. Don't get me wrong, I'm still the "sugar police" as I don't think there are many benefits to it but am still willing to say "yes" to a yummy dessert.  I want to be healthy and will continue to run for mental and physical health but if healthy looks like 155lbs or 170lbs, does it really matter?

One of the "worst" angles after having three kids and diastasis but that body is strong and we need to see more like it!

I want my faith to matter. I have been a Christian my whole life and although there were times where it has fallen to the side, I have matured and wrestled and have a firm trust in Him. There are many different examples of Christians out there and I would hope that others would know that we are called not to be a judgmental bunch and instead we are here to help at any time. One of the big reasons we are a foster family is because we believe we are to care for those who need extra support–being the arms and feet here on Earth.


My dad used to always say that he just wanted to see 51 as that was the age his dad was when he passed away. We sort of thought he was being silly but I truly understand it now. Every milestone that I get to experience with my family I am thankful for. Birthdays for me aren't anticipating the year ahead, it's a time to be thankful for another year here.

Have you spent serious time considering what you want your days here on Earth to look like?

Love,
Louise

Other posts like this: Clothed in Confidence...and a Bikini and Thankful for My Perfectly Imperfect Body

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