Are You Willing to Fall Down?

It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. 

That was part of the eulogy at a funeral I recently attended…but also, it was on a card I once bought. I sent it to my dad for his birthday. He didn’t need the message. My dad already knows. My dad is 74 going on 23. 

But there was someone who DID need the message - me. I bought two of that card. One to give to my dad and one to give to myself. 

I started buying myself cards in my mid-20’s. The first one I bought was this:

I didn’t realize I was buying the cards for myself, but I never actually sent them to anybody. I didn’t even try to think of someone to send them to. I just kept them on my nightstand and read them. Every. Single. Night. And eventually, I started really believing that one day, I would turn into a butterfly.

I still buy myself cards. They’re like a little angel swooping in to remind of the thing I need to hear in the moment. The most recent one I bought said this:

FALLING DOWN IS PART OF LIFE. 

GETTING BACK UP IS LIVING.

Getting back up is living.

Falling down happens. But failure is a moment - it is NOT who you are. As long as you get back up, it’s all part of the learning. Get back up - you'll put more life in your years.