Leap Day, Part Deux

Yesterday was a unique day. February 29th only rears its head every four years, but now it's come and gone.

In honor of Leap Day, we speculated. We dreamed. We imagined what it would be like to have an extra day to live.

Most of the answers were simple. None of them were extravagant (like buying a sports car and racing it in the country). I think that our Leap Day exercise is more than speculation, though. It seems to reveal something about us.

When we imagine what we would do with our last day alive, we often reveal that which we value the most.

So, for most of you, it seems, family trumps all. Most likely, I'd fall under this category as well. I can't imagine a better way to spend my last day alive than with those who have invested in me from day one.

What, though, does this mean for us practically? As far as I know, there hasn't been a scientist yet that could predict the exact day of a person's death (though some websites try), at least not with any sort of consistency.

And I know for sure that nobody has the technology to give a person an extra day to live. So what do we make of this? Is this exercise helpful beyond stretching our imaginations? Well, I'd like to think it is.

You see, from my perspective, every day is a gift. I've always been sick and I always will be sick. I've never had a shortened life expectancy placed upon me, but there have been days when, in sickness, I feel lucky to be alive.

It's like every single day that I wake up is an extra day to live. Every day that I get to enjoy is one day longer than I'm promised that I'll live. After all, I'm not promised tomorrow by anyone or anything. Tomorrow hasn't yet happened, and there's no guarantee that it will.

But today... Today is here. Today is now. Today is happening, and it's another day beyond what we've been promised. It's almost as if we've been given an extra day to live (even if it doesn't seem that way).

So reflect on your Leap Day exercise and then remember: you've been given that extra day. What did you say you were going to do with it? What's keeping you from that? If we were in our "extra day" scenario, would you let work or school or stress stop you from doing what you want to do most with your last day alive?

Take today seriously, friends. It's all we've been promised. It's a gift we've been given. We can leave it sitting, wrapped neatly, and wondering what it holds. Or we can tear it open like a 5 year old on their birthday.

Yesterday has passed  and will never be again. Tomorrow may never come. But today? Today is happening right as we speak. Make the most of it while you still can.

... ... ...

Questions: What might keep you from doing what you enjoy most today? How can you get around these obstacles to enjoy today fully?

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image credit: yunior - sxc.hu

Let's Play a Game

So yesterday, I wrote a post about my relationship with my epic wife.

Somewhere in the midst of that most, though, I mentioned The Drawbridge Exercise.

I really shouldn't have skimmed over it like I did, because it's... interesting.

So today, I'm dedicating an entire post to it! Prepare yourself....


The Drawbridge Exercise 

As he left for a visit to his outlying districts, the jealous Baron warned his pretty wife:  “Do not
leave the castle while I am gone, or I will punish you severely when I return!”

But as the hours passed, the young Baroness grew lonely, and despite her husband’s warning,
decided to visit her Lover who lived in the countryside nearby.

The castle was located on an island in a wide, fast flowing river, with a drawbridge linking the
island and the land at the narrowest point in the river.

“Surely my husband will not return before dawn,” she thought, and ordered her servants to lower
the drawbridge and leave it down until she returned.

After spending several pleasant hours with her Lover, the Baroness returned to the drawbridge,
only to find it blocked by a Madman wildly waving a long and extremely sharp knife.

“Do not attempt to cross this bridge, Baroness, or I will kill you,” he raved.  Fearing for her life,
the Baroness returned to her lover and asked him to help.

“Our relationship is only a romantic one,” he said, “I will not help.”  The Baroness then sought
out a Boatman on the river, explained her plight to him, and asked him to take her across the
river in his boat.

“I will do it, but only if you can pay my fee of five Marks.”

“But I have no money with me!” the Baroness protested.

“That is too bad.  No money, no ride,” the Boatman said flatly.

Her fear growing, the Baroness ran crying to the home of a Friend, and after again explaining the
situation, begged for enough money to pay the Boatman his fee.

“If you had not disobeyed your husband, this would not have happened,” the Friend said.  “I will
give you no money.”

With dawn approaching and her last resource exhausted, the Baroness returned to the bridge in
desperation, attempted to cross to the castle, and was slain by the Madman.


Using the following (alphabetical) list of characters, rank the characters (from 1 to 6) in the order of their responsibility for the death of the Baroness.

The Baron ____
The Baroness ____
The Boatman ____
The Friend ____
The Lover ____
The Madman ____

My (very tentative) conclusion:


Baron - 1
Baroness - 2
Boatman - 5
Friend - 3
Lover - 4
Madman - 6

... ... ...

Questions: What were your rankings? Why? What do you think this tells you about what you value?

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