Embrace Life. Be Inspired.

It started with a trip to Michael’s in August 2010.  Idly wandering through the aisles, I came across the clearance section in the bead aisle.  I saw three rings – spacers, actually – for next to nothing.  One said “Embrace Life.”  One said “Be Inspired.”  The third said “Live With Passion.”

I picked them up and thought I could wear them as rings.  But three didn’t quite fit on my finger, so I chose my two favorites (the third went to my friend geauxgirl).  On a date one night, less than a week after I got them, my date asked what they said.

“One says Embrace Life, the other says Be Inspired.”

“Which one is more important?” he asked.

I considered it.  “Both are important.  You have to embrace life, and you have to be inspired.”  I paused, thinking.  “You can’t be inspired without embracing life.  But I suppose you could embrace life without being inspired.  So I guess that’s more important.”

“Then you should wear that on the bottom, and the other on the top.  The most important thing should be closest to your heart.”

I wore those rings almost every day.  I looked down at them often, turning the rings around on my finger, playing with them, unconsciously repeating the words over and over again in my head.

Embrace life.  Be inspired.