Life doesn’t often hit me over the head to remind me just how precious today truly is. Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today.
 
The other day, I awoke to the tragic news of the flooding in central Texas. That alone was jarring enough, but when I looked at a map, I realized my daughter and her husband were camping in that exact area. I texted, I called, and I couldn't reach them.
 
To keep myself from panicking, I texted a friend and we went for a walk. As I was walking to meet her, I remember thinking about my daughter and saying, "Thank God I told her last night that I love her."
 
Shortly after I returned from my walk, my daughter texted. They were safe; the waters had risen to the bottom of their camper. But luckily, they were on a slight rise and were saved from the utter devastation of an RV campground in a "hollow" not two minutes away.
 
I know everyone has heard this before, but when life, politics, or minor family squabbles seem overwhelming, embrace the moment. Are you healthy? Are your kids/loved ones healthy and alive? Is there a roof over your head, and do you have food to fill your belly?
 
If so, remember that each sunrise offers a new chance to be fully alive—embrace it.
 
And never, ever, go to bed without whispering, I Love You, to those you hold dear to your heart.
 
My heart aches deeply for all who have lost loved ones in the floods. Please know that I'm thinking of you and holding you in my heart.