What Would You Do With Extra Time?

There are very few things in life that we cannot manipulate, bargain or steal.  An example of this is the gift of time.  There is nothing more valuable than time.  You can’t go to your local mall and buy more of it if you are running low.  We all have varying amounts of time given to us; some could have years or decades, while some may only have days.   Also, time can move at different speeds.  When I was younger, I remember the longest night of the year was always Christmas Eve.   The excitement of Santa Claus visiting my house made the minutes seem like days.

When I was going through something difficult, like a surgery, I would wish that time would disappear so I could avoid the torture of recovery.  If I could just jump to six weeks later, I would not be feeling so awful.  Now looking back, it seems ridiculous that I hoped to lose any of the time that I was granted.  Maybe this is the uncomfortable reality that comes will illness…. You become incredibly aware of the reality that your time is limited.

I am coming to that realization now.  Because of my extensive medical history and my current battle with Parkinson’s disease, I can now see that time is a gift.  How did I come to this revolution?  When I was asked, “ What would you do with extra life?” by Dr. Earl Bakken…. or as I like to call him, E.B.  This was the Bakken Invitation, which I was chosen as one of ten honorees of amazing people who with the assistance of their medical device were given the gift of extra time.  As I promised the day I met E.B., I would continue to “Live On. Give On.”

It seems perfect that today is Thanksgiving; we begin to acknowledge all that we are grateful for.  Now being incredibly aware of time and the added life I have received from my medical device, I am thankful I can keep my promise.  To not only give to others, but also to live life to it’s fullest.  Enjoy my video of my zip line adventure in Hawaii as I live on…