I've been thinking about this word "once" lately. I'm not too sure why, but a number of things have pointed to this particular word. The more I think about it, but more powerful the meaning.
Once is stronger than many because you can not have many with out that first once. What ever you like to do the most could not have happened without that first once. Would you care to find a few more of those onces?
Once is a hinge because it swings between not deciding and deciding. I love this scene in We Bought a Zoo that talks about all you need is 20 seconds of courage. Do that once and it will change your life. Forever and no matter how it goes. So swings the hinge of once.
Once is a bearing between the fixed points of yes and no. Yes, today I will choose to live a better life. No, I choose to not take a chance on what tomorrow looks like. It's your call. Once you decide it will lead to alot more choices.
Once varies in size and scale. There are little onces like choosing to try a new pizza place. There are big onces like quitting your job without a safety net to try a whole new thing. Most of those little onces are insignificant unless you try that new pizza place and met your soul mate and then it become something entirely different. After that once.
I think you can see where this is going so I will linger on all the dimensions of thinking on once. You can find quite a few if you care to spend time in thought. So off you go. Skydive or karoke? Single or married? I don't know. It's your once. I did want to leave you with a few big onces in my life.
Once I decided to leave home for a college in another state.
Once a girl there asked me to share some popcorn and watch a movie. I made her laugh. She made me laugh. We became best friends and still enjoy each others company. And I still like it best when she is sitting beside me and we are sharing life in that moment.
Once I asked that girl to marry me. She said yes. It's been amazing.
Once I asked Jesus if I could follow him. He invited me to join him. Nothing defines me or shapes me more. I can not imagine dealing with life without a relationship with our maker.
Once I held my son, JD, and our baby girl, Beth, in my arms for the first time. While there were many more times I cradled them again there is nothing more humbling and frightening and exciting and simply awesome than that first time.
Once right in the middle of a great career we picked up, made a change, and moved. Some friends could not understand why were were doing it, but it was the thing to do. Other friends wanted to know what kind of courage it took to make that kind of decide because it involved risk. We were not worried about courage or risk. We knew we were looking at a big once decision that needed to be made.
Once is about choosing how we live. It is not always about planning or being rational. It's not a mathmatical formula nor is it free form jazz. It's just about embracing that moment. That once.
Once.