Katie Katie Parsons is the creator of Mumbling Mommy and is a freelance writer, editor and communications specialist. She works from her home office on the east coast of Florida. Most often she writes about life in a combined family of five children and what it's like being a full time work-from-home parent. Feel free to pitch guest post ideas or just drop her a line at [email protected].

If you are reading this, the world did not end. Are you relieved? What have you done in the last week to prepare? Stock up on groceries? Go on a fun family trip just in case this was the last one? Spend more money than you should? I’ll bet a lot of people did something they don’t normally do: lived a little!

If you can take anything away from recent tragic events, it’s this: Act like the world is always ending.

 

I’m not talking about going crazy. Don’t liquidate all of your assets for an around the world cruise. Don’t do anything illegal or harmful. Don’t quit your job. Don’t eat three Big Macs. Acting like the world is ending doesn’t mean you have to jump off a cliff or lose your mind.

What I mean is simply this. No one gets taken for granted. Be a better wife. Be a better mom. Save Facebook for nap time. Get involved more. Put your phones and computers away while the kids are playing. Better yet, play with them. Stop obsessing about your to-do list. Blast the radio and dance around in your underwear. Visit your retired grandparents more often. Pay bills after bedtime. Do things every day so if it’s your very last, if the world ends tomorrow, you’ll have no regrets.

I’ve always been told to never end a phone call without saying “I love you,“ never walk out the door without a kiss goodbye, never go to bed mad. You know these things. You know these moments could mean the end. There could always be an accident or a zombie apocalypse. Will you see your kids again? Will you see your husband again? You know these things but you get too relaxed. You get too comfortable in believing the world won’t really end. Don’t forget these things. They matter. And mean them. Mean it every time you whisper your love. Mean every hug.

Did the world end today? Not for everyone. Some celebrated new life today, celebrated birthdays, partied because the Mayans were wrong. And some cried as they buried their mother, father, son, daughter, or grandparent. Some wept after learning their spouse was late because he wasn’t coming home, not because of traffic. For some people the world did end.

Will you make it count?

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Category: Life Changes

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