We think we have all the time in the world. And then, one day, all at once, it will be over.
Around the Lion’s Walk on the edge of Lake Taupō, there are many thoughtfully placed bench seats, positioned so that locals and visitors can pause in their meanderings and take in the views across the lake in all directions.
My early morning lakeside walk passes many of these benches but one in particular always strikes me. Under it is a small granite plaque of remembrance that reads:
“You were a breath of fresh air
Your smile beamed everywhere
Please smile for Sam
While you sit there.”
Placed by people who knew and loved ‘Sam’, it’s positioned so you can sit in stillness and take in the beauty of the lake and mountains to the south. Something I imagine Sam loved to do.
I love the invitation to smile for this human that I never knew.
A person who brought love, joy and lightness into the lives of those around them.
A person who left this world in 2005 at just 24 years of age.
It’s always a wee nudge into one of my favourite meditations from Stoic philosophy: MEMENTO MORI – remember you will die.
At face value that may seem a little grim to some of you BUT it’s actually a reminder to put our attention on the temporary nature of our lives, the lives of those we love, and of all things in the universe.
Because everything comes AND goes.
The intention of Memento Mori is to bring our attention into the present moment, into the life we have with its sorrows, challenges, joys, and opportunities.
To bring to mind the people and things we treasure most so we can make the most of every moment.
To keep from getting caught up in wishing things were different and instead put our energy into making the very best of what we have, for as long as we have it.
MY INVITATION TO YOU:
- Bring to mind someone who means the world to you
- Reflect on what it is/was about them that you treasure
- Smile for them and for yourself for having them in your life
- Take that feeling of love and gratitude into the day and make it count.
PS: If you find yourself in Taupō, you might like to seek out this plaque and the bench above it for a moment of quiet contemplation. Head to Secombe Park by the Three Mile Boat Ramp. You’ll find a circular part to the road through the park, to the south of the boat ramp. Sam’s bench will be waiting for you, right by the lake edge. Have a sit, take in the majesty of nature, and smile : )
