Seize the Day

'Seize every day as an adventure and your spirit will soar when you discover the wonderful surprises life has to offer.'


Its tricky these days to 'seize' each day by the scruff of the neck and make it into one big adventure. Sometimes, there's just too much washing to to do, cooking, tidying...


Yesterday, however, without making any effort whatsoever, my spirit soared sooooo high, and it was all thanks to my 7 year old.


'Do you want to do a rugby coaching day tomorrow with your brother?' I asked her on Monday. She's never played rugby in her life and she's never even watched a game on the telly.


She considered the question for half a second, and without even asking 'Will any of my friends be there?' or 'Will I be the only girl?'  she said - 'Yeh, ok.'


When we arrived at the rugby place the next day, there were 93 boys and my 7 year old girl. The only person she knew was her brother, but he had abandoned her as soon as we'd got there. Great big lads lumbered around like bears, alongside squeaky, excitable, skinny-legged, 6 year old man-cubs.


I hung around and watched as the smaller boys chased each other around the tables and chairs. I asked the 7 year old if she was okay. I expected her to reply with, 'Did I say yes to this? Sorry, I meant no.' But she didn't. She nodded, smiled and took in the scene thoughtfully. She quietly took her footy boots out of her bag. I tied the laces for her, and the coaches gathered everyone together for a briefing about the day. Relieved, I noticed another little girl in the group. They gave each other a little smile. My 7 year old looked so tiny against all the others, but she happily followed them outside with her new friend to the training pitch giving me a little wave before disappearing out of the door.


I fretted and fidgeted at home for the rest of the morning, until finally heading off an hour early to catch the end of the coaching day. I hoped to God she would be alright.

When I pulled up alongside the pitch I caught sight of a little blond child, caked from head to toe in mud and clarts. She was shouting 'pass, pass!' A stocky little lad chucked her the ball, she caught it before running like the wind to score a try. She tackled, she kicked, she passed and she ran. She even got felled to the ground a few times...always getting back to her feet and always with the biggest smile in the world across her face....


'Seize every day as an adventure and your spirit will soar when you discover the wonderful surprises life has to offer.'


It can be so difficult to seize the day as a grown up. Adventures? What adventures? We are always holding and juggling so many things in our hands at the same time that we just can't manage 'adventures' as well. Surely not!


But after watching this little bundle of happiness in action today - seizing her day, surprising herself and simply loving life, I realised that nowadays I don't have to go too far to experience the wonderful surprises life has to offer. They are often right in front of my eyes....