Life...live with contentment!

My Great Uncle, Steve, passed away a couple of weeks ago; he was 94.  Can you imagine the life he lived?  Can you imagine everything he saw throughout his life?  The revolution of cars bursting onto the American scene or transportation in general and the impact that it made on society.  War, over and over again.  The Great Depression, multiple natural disasters, Amelia Earhart's feat, the gangster days, sports adventures , color TV, and space adventures.  The civil rights movements, The Beatles, JFK's assassination, Star Wars, outbreaks of unknown diseases, 80's hair bands, and Michael Jackson's Thriller video.  Computers, cell phones, the Internet, and terrorist attacks...9-11. 

And that's just a few of the significant history changing events for America...not to mention the events that changed my great uncle's life personally.  My Uncle Steve was a WWII Veteran and I often think of communication differences between then and now.  Writing and waiting for letters vs. Skype and instant communication.  Some may think that's a silly thing to think about, considering all the other significant life altering events in our history.  But I've been through a deployment with my husband and Skype was a Godsend.  I honestly can't contemplate waiting for a letter!  Even now, our postal service is much more advanced and we can receive a letter from Iraq or Afghanistan in a few weeks...but back then it was more like months! 

It's amazing how far we've come, just in the 27 years that I've been alive, much less 94!  And yet, somehow, we all find something to complain about...almost every day.  We can always manage to find a way to bring ourselves or others down.  Why?  What does this accomplish?  Except heartache...

Funerals always make me think, "I should do better connecting with and maintaining relationships with my family."  But there's always an excuse as to why I don't, even though there really isn't any excuse.  My Uncle Steve told amazing stories, that unfortunately, I didn't hear enough of.  I should have made more of an effort to listen and now it's too late. 

Life would be so much easier (not to mention more pleasant) if we found the beauty in every day, said "Hello" to strangers, and smiled more.  Called our families and listened, much more than we talked; and thanked God for everything with which He's blessed us!  How would life look different if we lived a life of contentment? Being thankful for what we have and not worrying about what we don't.  What if we thanked God for our food, clothing, shelter, health, and loved ones every day...and communicated love a little more to those that matter in our lives?  I feel certain my Great Uncle Steve did.  And if we do these things as the way of our life, who knows...maybe we'll be blessed enough to get to do it for 94 years!