Breathing

Breathing directions:

Inhale.

Exhale.

Repeat.

Seems straight forward enough, right? 

For most of us breathing is involuntary, a non-issue, basically…easy.

I mean really, how many times does breathing cross your mind?

When you’re scared?

When it’s your 83th birthday? 

Or when you sat too close next to someone who just couldn’t hold it in.

Most of the time we take breathing for granted, I mean why wouldn’t you? Between everything else you have going on in life, thank God breathing’s not something you have to concern yourself with.
 
And then there are those who fight for each breath.  

Each moment. 

Their whole life.

My daughter Jena most certainly did.

She was born knowing each breath she took was precious.

I’ll never forget one day Jena was feeling really, really good.  Her whole face smiled as she said excitedly, “Mommy, Mommy…wow! I feel great.  I can’t believe how easy it is to breathe today!”  She kissed me on the cheek and ran off to play. 
To her breathing was special.

Like many others that have a lung disease, Jena did all she could to add a year, a month or even a day to her life.

 

I know I treasured each breath she took.  I knew there were very few that were ever wasted.  She would rock climb, ride 4-wheelers, and do all she could to keep up with her older brother. Jena ran full tilt when she could and enjoyed each day to its fullest.

Time is like oxygen. You’ll never notice until it is gone. 

There's no time to kill between the cradle and the grave
Father Time still takes a toll on every minute that you save
Legal tender's never gonna change the number on your days
The highest cost of livin's dyin', that's one everybody pays
So have it spent before you get the bill, there's no time to kill 
(Clint Black)

When time runs out, will you have made the most of your breath?