Blog # 2

Life is Too Short

By Candace Beckford

“Life is too short to start your day with broken pieces of yesterday. It will definitely destroy your wonderful today and ruin your great tomorrow.”
— Author Unknown

Have you ever found yourself so caught up with doing this thing called life that you forget to actually live?

Life is too short!

Has something upset you so deeply that it ruined your whole day—then the next, and maybe even the day after that?

Life is too short!

Have you given someone so much control over your emotions that everything they do affects you negatively?

Life is too short!

My friends, we only get one life to live—so let’s live it well. This past week taught me some valuable lessons, and I’d like to share them with you.

1. Take a Moment to Stop and Smell the Roses

Growing up, I wasn’t the type to hang out or socialize beyond my regular routine. I did what I had to do—school, extracurricular activities, church events—and then went home.

Even as an adult, not much has changed. I work hard, check things off my to-do list, and keep it moving. But last weekend, something different happened. There was an event happening at work and even

though my first instinct was to stay home and be “productive,” I let my friends talk me into going.

And guess what?
I HAD AN AWESOME TIME! 🎉

I ate good food, laughed, danced, talked with my friends, and lived. I didn’t realize how much I’d been missing out on fun!

Yes, we all have responsibilities. But we also need to make time for joy. Do something spontaneous. Step outside your comfort zone. Live a little!

One of my friends once said, “When I’m old and gray, sitting in my rocking chair reminiscing, I never want to say ‘shoulda, woulda, coulda.’ I want to know that I lived.”

That stuck with me. I don’t want to be the old lady wishing she’d laughed more, traveled more, or danced more. Life is short—so enjoy it while you can.

2. Don’t Give People Power Over You

This week, I faced a situation that deeply hurt me. I mean really hurt me—tears, anger, the works. It started with a simple misunderstanding: a friend thought I ignored her text (I didn’t), made wrong assumptions, and decided she needed to protect herself from me.

Even though I tried to make things right and offered to still be there as a friend, the next day when I went to greet her with a hug and kiss as usual—she stepped back.

Silence.

My heart hit the floor. I said goodbye, walked away with tears streaming down my face, and kept my head down so no one would see.

Inside, I was screaming:

“I did nothing to you!”

I was so hurt. But later, I realized something important—I had given her too much power. I cared so deeply that her rejection broke me.

Loving people is beautiful, but it comes with risk. We can’t let someone else’s actions control our peace. Love, yes—but guard your heart while doing it.

I’ve learned that I can’t give anyone the power to drag me down so far that I lose myself in pain. I can love deeply, but I must also protect my joy.

3. Love, Love, Love — and Pay It Forward

The last lesson I learned this week was about love.

While some people may take advantage of your love and hurt you, others desperately need the love you have to give.

My sister has a neighbor raising his grandchild, a teenager who’s had a rough start in life. When my sister mentioned her story, I immediately thought of the people who once loved me through hard times—church brothers and sisters who gave me hope and a sense of belonging.

I decided to pay it forward. I invited her to come with me to the YMCA, to help with my classes—step aerobics and painting. She joined in, laughed, played with my children, and helped in the class. Watching her smile and seeing the joy in her eyes reminded me why love matters so much.

People need love. Even when it’s hard, we have to find a way to keep giving it. Because love truly is what this world needs.

Final Thoughts

“Life is too short to start your day with broken pieces of yesterday. It will definitely destroy your wonderful today and ruin your great tomorrow.”

Life is too short to spend today thinking about yesterday’s disappointments.
Pick yourself up and live for today so that tomorrow can be better.

Life is too short to stay stuck in dead-end friendships—let go of yesterday’s baggage and pack fresh luggage for today’s journey.

Life is too short to work nonstop without joy—stop and smell the roses.

Life is too short.

So, live. Laugh. Love.
Every single day. 💛

— Candace Beckford