U is for Utrinque Paratus

"can you be certain that at this very moment

you are not a dragonfly dreaming that you are a person?"

utrinque paratus: (oo-TRIN-kay pah-RAH-toos) Latin phrase meaning ready for anything

We can only measure our lives as a lifetime at the point which that life is over. Everything leading up to that is measured in moments. Each moment can be defining, pivotal - a look, a first kiss, a handshake that seals a deal, a cell that divides into a cancerous monster, a distraction that turns into a crash. Moments.

Each moment drops like quicksilver on it's own, then makes its way to join all the other moments. When they've come together as one shimmering puddle and there are no more drops to add, then we have had a lifetime.

Each moment counts. Even the relatively mundane ones. Even the bad ones. Especially the good ones. But they all count.

There's no real way to prepare for each moment. Even if we have an idea of what's coming, we don't know until we get there. But we can be ready.

Being ready requires an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to live fully within each moment. It necessitates a complex blend of acceptance and perseverance - what the card sharks call "know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em."

There's a difference between being prepared and being ready. Being prepared is, "I've got all the ingredients and 6 people are coming for dinner. It'll be a feast." Being ready is, "I have no idea who's showing up, or when, or how hungry they'll be, but I can always throw an extra potato in the pan if need be." Of course, that's the FoodNetwork version, Not the SpikeTV version. You get the idea.

Untrinque paratus.

We need to be ready for anything.

If we are to live fully, and live in the moment... untrinque paratus.