Don't miss out

When I was in my early teens, I was focused on pursuing a tennis scholarship. Everything about my way of being was focused on this sport and my pursuit of excellence. I lived and breathed this sport, from the moment I woke up to the last thought of the day, being a tennis  star consumed my mind.  My identity was defined by tennis and my ranking in Ontario. When I moved to Mississauga in grade 11, I quickly made friends as a result of this identity. 

As the years passed, I developed more and more severe back injuries that kept me from the game and my pursuit of a US scholarship. What occupied almost my entire child hood and early teens is no longer a part of my identity. I missed out on the opportunities to connect with my peers. I turned down parties and time with friends in exchange for endless hours of practice. I was so consumed with excelling in this sport that I missed out on the game of life. I didn't know how to be present to the wonderful people around me. Although this sport taught me valuable lessons of persistence and passion, it also taught me to look up, pause and be present to all of the beauty in the world. It taught me to breathe in my one precious life and to not miss the moments that take our breath away, sitting on the porch with my love, laughing with my daughters, shining a light on others and inspiring them in times of darkness. 

Life is filled with incredible moments that when you let it, will sweep you off your feet and take your breath away. Being present in every moment, helps you taste, sense and feel everything around you. Pursue your dreams with passion and purpose. Create greater meaning and outcomes for yourself, live with no limits , do it all now as if you had only a short time to live.  Chart the path you crave. Leap into your journey. Taste and drink in every moment along the way. 

Be this moment and you won't miss any more of them.