If today was your last day

It's wasn't a great day yesterday.
The car failed it's MOT on Tuesday and I asked the garage to give me a quote. I received a call from them on Wednesday morning and to my dismay it's going to cost more than we thought to get it through.

My girlfriend and I discussed our options, and came to the conclusion that as it is, we simply can't afford to keep up the finance payments, afford the repair bills and the running costs.
We worked out that in the long term it would be better to spend money on a cheap runabout car and replace it in a few months or so.

Although it was a sensible option, I admit I spent most of the day worrying about it...

The problem wasn't the fear of not having a car, but the fact that giving up the car we have was like admitting defeat...
I took the car on when I was working, earning a decent wage. Now the circumstances are different, and I feel as if giving up the car is like losing my "status" - It is a bit like accepting I am a failure in life.

I called up the finance company to find out what was involved, and I started to think about the benefits of ending the agreement.

I thought about having a different car every few months or so, and not having to worry about being able to pay for a car that really isn't worth the money - in the long run I started to realise it was a better,  cheaper, easier solution with less problems...

I admit once I changed my way of thinking about the situation I felt considerably better!

I started to listen to some music, and I heard a song by Nickelback - "If Today Was Your Last Day".

One line caught my attention in particular: Each day's a gift and not a given right.

As I listened closer I started to think about the lyrics of the song:
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Against the grain should be a way of life.
What's worth the price is always worth the fight.
Every second counts, coz' there's no second try.
So live it like you'll never live it twice!
Don't take the free ride in your own life!
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The song seemed really appropriate. It made me think about how easy it is to get tied down in the daily grind of life, worrying about the stupid irrelevant things to the point you are so wrapped up in them you miss the good things in life.

Before he went to bed, I sat with my son Dominic and we played about on a couple of guitars I have recently bought.

It was quite a short jam session, but he really enjoyed it, and so did I!

It made me realise that in order to really appreciate life you should take at least ten minutes each day forgetting it all!

Forget the bills, the housework, money worries, unemployment, ect...
They can't be completely avoided but don't spend every waking moment consumed by the negatives in your life, but spend some time each day doing something that you really enjoy or want to do!
Try getting up in the morning and telling yourself:
Today I will do something that makes my life worth getting out of bed for!
Let me know how you feel!

- Thelittlerich.