by Brooke

Ever receive one of those "Take the time to live your life to the fullest" emails? You know, the chain letters that end in a sentimental poem and state that you must pass said email on to 15 people within an hour or else someone in your family will be killed in a horrible accident, or your house will fall in on itself, or your dog will be hit by a car? But if you do send on this magical email, you will gain terrific wealth, land a career as a super-model, and find your true love, all within 24 hours.

I'm pretty sure it happened to my sister's husband's step-dad's cousin's neighbor's landlord's daughter in Brazil. It could happen to you.

Now, despite the fact that these chain letters are juvenile and annoying, I will admit that they sometimes carry a good message. However, I recently received one that made me want to find the original writer, duct tape them to a chair, show them a PowerPoint presentation of my life, and smack them around a little. This particular email whined about how none of us take enough time to enjoy life, how we are all too busy, and why don't we stop and watch when we see a butterfly in flight, or go visit the grandparents out of state, or (insert an event that is important to other people, but not to you here). About how a married couple doesn't go on their second honeymoon because they have to get two more kids out of college first. I ask you; is this a crime? It sounds to me like this couple has the right idea by sacrificing to make sure their children have a chance for a good future. And didn't they have a first honeymoon, anyway?

As for taking time to do all of these things, hasn't the "American Way" forced us all into an existence where it is difficult to fit in more than work and immediate family? Is it my fault that I "lay in bed at night reviewing tomorrow's chore list," as the email states accusingly? Is that a bad thing, or does it make me a responsible person?

Also, I am blessed with extended family on my mother's side, my father's side, as well as both of my step-parent's sides. I could spend my entire life trying to spend quality moments with all of them, and still not finish this daunting task. At what point is it OK to draw the line? Isn't it OK just to enjoy them when I see them, instead of trying to fit more into my already over-scheduled life just to satisfy unreasonable family expectations?

Finally, the writer of the email complains that she couldn't count how many times she called her sister and said, "How about going to lunch in half an hour?" And how her sister would offer all kinds of excuses, some valid (in my humble opinion), some not. Then it states that the sister passed away and they never did go to lunch together. My question here is this: was the writer of the email really too stupid to actually schedule a lunch with her sister in advance, since the sister obviously wasn't a person who thrived on spontaneity? Or possibly, was the sister of the writer an individual with a family, and responsibilities, who couldn't just get up and go in the blink of an eye? I also want to point out that the writer of the email has obviously never had money problems, or had to hold down a job with any kind of regular hours, or they would have realized that their expectations of their sister were unreasonable. Possibly they conveyed this judgmental attitude to the sister, and the sister, in turn, just may not have wanted to go to lunch with the writer.

I submit to you that it's OK to draw the line where you feel it needs to be drawn in order to maintain your own sanity, that it's not a sin to have a schedule, and that most people aren't free to be as spontaneous as they may want to be, due to the responsibilities of life that make us into grown-ups. So, I want to explain two things to the writer of, and all readers in agreement with, the email that the writer sent.

1. You can enjoy your family and your life but still be a busy person with a schedule who feels that once you've seen one butterfly in flight, you've seen them all. Cynical? No, just not easily impressed with common occurrences.
2. Grow up.

Now, read this rant to at least fifty people in the next five minutes, or you'll turn into a person-sized Milk-Bone, and become your dog's after-dinner snack (unless, of course, he's already been the victim of an unfortunate accident due to the last chain letter you were daring enough to delete from your inbox without first forwarding it on).