a few years ago i visited new york with a good buddy of mine, justin paton, and one of the touristy things we came across was the Charging Bull, a 3,200-kg (7,100 lb) bronze sculpture by Arturo Di Modica that stands Wall Street in Manhattan.

being a touristy symbol, we had to wait a fair amount of time to get a picture with it and so naturally when we did i had to be a little different and took some ‘grabbing the bull by the balls’ shots [a cousin to the ‘when life gives you lemons’ metaphor]

why? because you only live once and so why have the same picture everyone else has? [as Garfield would say, ‘why be Nermal?’]

life has got to be seized by the… um, opportunities as you only get one shot at it [on this side of heaven, anyways] and so how is it possible that so many people give in to living mediocrely [i was going to say “choose” but i don’t honestly believe anyone chooses to be mediocre, i just think people tend to give in, or get tired, or settle and suddenly there it is] but not me! this guy chooses to live. and to live well. LIFE TO THE FULL!

it helps that one of the central ideas of the religious faith i hold to is this same idea, where in John 10.10 Jesus says to His followers, ‘the thief [enemy] comes to steal and kill and destroy, but i have come that you may have life, and have it to the full!’

it is pretty much a command from the God i follow that we must live life well here [not just in preparation for what might come later as many have sadly made it] – but right here, right now.

and living to the full, according to Jesus, includes such diverse (and exciting) elements as… loving your enemies, offering forgiveness to anyone who has hurt you, finding a way to connect with and enrich the lives of those considered as ‘the least of these’ [with a special emphasis on widows and orphans] and teaching others the things that Jesus has taught you.

this thing is not going to be boring, and if it is, we have somehow missed the point.

so next time you find yourself standing near to a touristy attraction and someone with a camera is standing by, think out of the box and let your creativity loose and who knows how it will affect the rest of your life…