A trace in time

Isn't having more time a wish that you, like me, have already made? More time in a day, in a weekend or even for vacations. Are you one of those people who always chases their time, feeling like it escapes you like sand from an hourglass that flows at the speed of light?

I have a very particular relationship with time, because it has marked my life! Yes, marked, because at some point I was afraid of not having enough, not even having enough at all. At times, that time also seemed like an eternity to me.

My Time Sage

I have the privilege of sharing my life with a great “wise man of the time”. This wise man of the time and the present moment is 14 years old and he is my son Pier-Olivier. On December 8, 2010, the day before his third heart surgery, he said to me like that, with the heart of a child: “You know, mom, maybe it's my last night. Maybe tomorrow I won't wake up after surgery.” He also added, “But you know what? If I don't wake up... well, I can tell myself that at least I had a good life and for that, I thank you, mom! ”

My little guy, who was ten years old at the time, was well aware of the risk of his surgery, he was well aware that he might have reached the end of his life, and so was I. The weeks before this famous surgery, he had started to us
Make each moment appreciated in case it is the last. Among other things, I remember an evening at the restaurant where he said to me: “You know, mom, maybe this is the last time I'm going to eat here.” It touched my heart right. I then saw my son enjoy his spare ribs as if it were the last time, trying in spite of myself to enjoy this meal with him as if it were the last time. That evening in the restaurant, we were surrounded by people celebrating who probably didn't realize the importance of the present moment and the value of time. And they had no idea that at their side was a little boy for whom time was in danger of stopping!

Pier-Olivier lived the wait for his surgery by being fully aware of everything that was important to him. He said to his brothers, “Hey, my brothers! We should take the opportunity to play together, because maybe we won't be able to play together again soon.” Guess I don't need to tell you that every moment spent with him was becoming very precious. I also imagine you can guess how much we could enjoy these little moments... as if they were becoming gifts! Do you also have some of these little moments to enjoy? Those kinds of little moments that you would like to do again tomorrow morning?

There is a quote from Confucius that says: “You have two lives and the second one begins when you realize that you only have one.” And that's true!

When we don't know how much time we have left, when we think that it may be the end, we then find ourselves with time in our hands like a gift! As if by magic, an alignment of our values, desires and priorities then occurs. And that's where we use the only power we have over the situation, which is to decide what we want to do with that time. Trust me, that's what I wanted to do, keep this precious time for what's really important to me!

The most beautiful mandate in the world

When Pier-Olivier was born, my husband and I decided that I would stay at home to accompany him in his illness. He then had a 50% chance of survival... so maybe half the time! I made the choice to keep my time for him and I quit my job, I abandoned my career and I gave myself the best mandate in the world: to be really there for him and to ensure that he has a great day in case they were the last. I wanted him to live a good life despite his difficulties. And it is by living alongside him with the ups and downs of his illness that I am as a human being experienced his greatest transformation. I then developed a great motivation for happiness!

Life is good for us because Pier-Olivier is now 14 years old and his health is stable. The disease is still present and it reminds us every day that life is fragile, but that it is so worth living and taking the time!

Are you doing what it takes to live your life to the fullest?

What would you do differently if you knew that maybe you were at the end? The day before Pier-Olivier's surgery, when he thanked me for this good life, I could only renew my mandate for him! And as a result, I made a commitment to myself: to leave a mark in people's lives by sharing our history and our learnings. I wanted to make sure that the people who crossed my path wanted to live their lives to the fullest. Leave them a sunny trail...

Each of us is born with the aim of following a path that is unique to us, not in order to reach a certain destination, but to have a series of experiences that we are destined to experience during our lives. Whether we like it or not, we will all leave a trace of our time on Earth.

The desire for immortality and the fear of falling into oblivion are often motivators to want to achieve great things, to stand out in order to leave a trace behind us and to make our name go down in history. The more useful and beautiful the traces we leave are, the more they will last.

But what kind of traces will we leave?

Whether we are famous or not, whether we have achieved big things or small things, at the end of our lives, we will talk more about our way of being than about our achievements. We will remember our qualities, our kindness, our way of respecting people and acting with them, our little attentions, our way of living and our way of “being”, simply.

And how do you live your life? Have you ever wondered what people will remember when they think of you? What legacy are you preparing to leave? I am not talking about financial inheritance here, but about “positive traces”!

Leaving positive traces on a daily basis in our way of doing things and our way of being

When we think about it, we all leave a mark in the life of each person we meet, whether positive or negative. The magic of our smile and our kindness can have a profound impact on the life of the person who crosses our path. Just as our “stupid air” and our indifference can leave it with a bitter taste! Do not let anyone leave your path without winning something, whether it is a balm for their wounded heart, advice, an idea, a vitamin motivation to brighten their day, a ray of your sunshine that you will have shared!

Will you be a magician for someone today? Maybe today you were the one who met one? Sooner or later, we are all marked by one of these magicians!

It is in small actions and small attentions that we use our power to brighten people's lives! Acting with others by being aware of our magic is one of the good ways to contribute to a better world and to leave a positive impact on humanity. So be contagious!

The art of leaving positive traces, the most beautiful heritage!

In my opinion, the greatest legacy to leave is to live to the fullest this life that is offered to us, without having regrets. It is listening to the voice of our heart by asking ourselves at night before we go to sleep: “Will the way I currently live make me embark on the path of regret or on the road of satisfaction? ” Listening to your heart means staying true to the life you've chosen and to the person you want to be. It's about living your passions and fully achieving your life mission while inspiring others to do the same. Isn't it by beaming with happiness that we invite others to follow in our footsteps?

Marilyne Petit
Author, speaker and professional coach
Quebec (Quebec) Canada

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