YOLO

YOLO.

This little acronym has been showing up all over the place thanks to Drake. I love it. The meaning? You only live once.

I believe that to be true. And now that I have a career where I see death every single day, I come face to face with it on a daily basis. So if you only live once, are you doing what you want to be doing? Honestly, most of us might say no. We aren't. We're doing what we have to do to survive, to get by. That's how I feel at least. But I also feel like I'm young, I still have time to make mistakes, make changes, do crazy things, do amazing things.

One thing that I teach people in volunteer training is that many of our patients are just looking to find some kind of meaning in their life. No one wants to die thinking they haven't done anything or that their life was worthless. So do something. Make an impact. Do what makes you happy. Have a story to tell. Volunteer. Write. DO SOMETHING.

Have you ever seen someone completely throw their life away? It's a tragic thing. We were put on this earth for a reason. No need to throw it away with silly mistakes. There's still a chance for you, no matter how many times you have messed up. You can always, always move forward.

Do something with your life that MATTERS, kids. We all have a dream. It's up to you to make that dream come true.

And for us adults, we can still hang tight to this motto. Just because you have a busy life doesn't mean you can't carve out even just FIVE minutes to do something for YOU. So if you're living, but not REALLY living, please start now. You only live once, you only have this once chance. Take it.

Yes, you only live once, but if really LIVE, once is just enough!

I'm closing with my very favorite poem in the world.


This week...
mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Dismiss suspicion, and replace it with trust.
Write a love letter.
 Share some treasure.
Give a soft answer.
Encourage youth.
 Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.
 Keep a promise.
Find the time.
 Forgo a grudge.
Forgive an enemy.
Listen. Apologize if you were wrong. Try to understand.
Flout envy. Examine your demands on others.
Think first of someone else.
 Appreciate
. Be kind; be gentle.
 Laugh a little. Laugh a little more.
 Deserve confidence.
 Take up arms against malice.
 Decry complacency.
Express your gratitude.
Go to church.
Welcome a stranger.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
Speak your love. Speak it again. Speak it still once again.