Life Lesson; Live Life to the fullest before it's too late by Kate Johns

I suffered a stroke two days before my forty-eighth birthday, and six days before my daughter's tenth birthday. As I lay in my hospital bed, wondering if I would see morning's light, or my family ever again, I made a deal with God. I decided that if I lived I would be a better person.

I had a new lease on life.I decided over the days that became weeks of living until the next morning's light that I would be a more positive person and that I would live life in a more Christian lifestyle. I decided to give this thing called life one more shot. I decided to be more patient with people, and to try to be a better example for my children. I would no longer scream at other drivers and I would give it my best shot to smile and enjoy life.

It wasn't easy, but I knew I had to try to live life unhurried, and to stop and smell the roses. You see, I was always the person who rushed through everything and wanted complete satisfaction right now. But when you can't walk or use the left side of your body anymore, you see life from a different perspective.

I realized that God had spared me this time, and I had to make it through to stay alive and get better for my family. Once I made it through to a nearly complete recovery in a matter of eight months,I realized that I had a new lease on life. I started seeing things differently. Everything smelled and tasted better than it had before. Simple pleasures became fantastic. I had this overwhelming feeling that I wanted to live life. I wanted to call everyone I knew, and didn't know and yell, "I'm still alive!"

I started getting in trouble for being so overjoyed. I started babbling to my husband while he was at work, and to my son and my daughter. I started talking to strangers. My mother warned me many times when I was a kid not to talk to strangers and here I was babbling at them. I became Facebook friends with everyone I could think of. I also realized that everyone is too busy to smell the roses, and they need a new sensation to make them feel alive.

I am not saying that everyone needs to have a life- threatening event happen to him or her. But what you really need to do is stop and grab your loved ones. You need to realize that life is too short for all the drama, and escape remedies and numbing drugs. You need to feel life, to really live life to the absolute fullest.

I just wish I had learned this life affirming magic trick when I was in my twenties. Then I would have gone out and conquered the world. I also stopped feeling sorry for myself, which I had done for years. I felt overjoyed to be alive. It was enough to feel the sunshine on my face, the warm grass beneath my feet, and the love of my family. I tell my family members every day that I love them. I do my best to not yell at my kids anymore. I am also trying to reconnect with family members and old friends and new friends who don't realize that life is meant to live, not run through at hyper-speed.

Now, if only I can get my husband to slow down and take a vacation.