(2 minute read)

Ever feel like life is flying by? Do days, weeks or even years seem to be but flashes of time? Yes, life is short indeed.
Life is like the flash of a lightening bug. It’s there and then it’s gone. But somehow there’s more to it than that. It turns out that lightening bugs produce several types of flashes much like the lives of people.

Here are a few to get you thinking:

1. The single flash. Classic for those who live in the “glory days” never able to see the great things right in front of them. These are the folks who perceive that they once did something great, something that they will never repeat or outdo. Non-sense.
2. The series of multi-pulsed flashes. This type is very common in our American culture. These folks live for the “significant” or “fun” things in life. So, you can identify them easily. They live for the weekend, complaining and drudging through five days every week for those two glorious days of weekend. They blabber about what’s in the future, the next vacation, the next holiday, the next ballgame, the next big life event, their next big purchase. For them, the “joys” of life come in pulsating flashes. The problem with this way of life is that there is an awful lot of time wasted in darkness between those brief flashes of light. Not to mention, these types of moments often turn out to be mere flickers, disappointing in their flare at best.
3. The continuous steady pulse. This type is scarce, but if you ever see one their sparkle is charming. They seem to find the good in everything and everyone. They live for the moment and in the moment, soaking up all it has to offer; savoring the good and learning from the bad. The little things in life bring pleasure. Their emotions run on a flat track rather than a roller coaster. They seem concerned only with something much bigger than themselves.

So, how do you get your flash of light to be that continuous steady pulse? Easy, life is short so set your life cameras exposure to long!

Pictures of lightening bugs, like the one shown at the start of this article by Kristian Cevcek, were captured with a long exposure setting. Wow, it’s amazing how much light the little creatures are putting out in that short flash of time when you stop to let it soak in. Their amazing abilities can be better appreciated by a more thorough examination.

Life is short, here are some no non-sense tips to help you get more out of every moment life offers:

• Unplug. No one ever lay on their death bed with regrets that they didn’t watch more TV, or movies. Nor do they wish they had surfed the internet more, or looked at more Facebook posts. Turn off the electronics and take a good long hard look at what is happening right in front of you.
• Get outdoors. There’s nothing like getting out and looking at nature to bring an awareness and appreciation for our own existence. The closer we are to nature, the more we appreciate the gift of life.
• Look at your loved ones while they sleep. Sounds geeky I know, but there’s something about seeing your loved one in the peacefulness of sleep that brings an appreciation to your heart.
• Hug long. Taking ten seconds to hold that squeeze can turn a dry ritual into something much deeper.
• Spend time thinking. This might sound strange but in case you haven’t noticed, folks don’t seem to be thinking much these days. Rather than sit like a zombie soaking in whatever the media has on the menu for that day, dig deeper. Ask hard questions and then find answers. Revert back to your two year old days and start asking “why” things are the way they are.

As Jim Elliot once said,

Wherever you are, be all there.

Life is short. May your light shine long and bright!
Want to learn more interesting things about lightening bugs?

Like what you just read?
Subscribe to Simple Living. Rich Life.

or read more right now from the Archive .