Living Is The Trick: It’s My Life
By Robert (Bob) W. Jones


The timing was ironic. Our local “greatest hits” FM station was playing on my car radio. I was traveling south and encountered a funeral procession heading north. Reality interfaced with entertainment. The irony was the song playing on the radio, Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life”, from the album “Crush”.

As the lengthy procession passed by I wondered if the deceased had ever said, or sung, ”It’s my life! I just want to live while I’m alive.” How long had they lived? Was their death sudden? Were they happy with their life? Did they accomplish their goals? Were they a person of religious faith? Did they think their life mattered?

Jon Bon Jovi, reflecting on the broad appeal of his song said, “When I was writing ‘It’s My Life’, I thought I was writing very self-indulgently about my own life and where I was in it. I didn’t realize that the phrase ‘It’s My Life’ would be taken as being about everyone – teenagers, older guys, mechanics, whoever. "It’s my life, and I’m taking control. Everyone kind of feels that way from time to time.” The song struck a chord and soared to #1 worldwide in 2000.

Talk about tapping into the collective conscious.

Red Smith, the late NY Times sports communist wrote, “Dying is no big deal. The least of us will manage that. Living is the trick.” So how are you doing with that?

January is such a timely month to think about living. Are you happy with your life? Do you know that you matter? What are your hopes and dreams for 2019? What better time than today to make a change.

1. You can’t choose where you came from but you can choose where you go from here. Envision new beginnings or start overs. Shed the disappointments of yesterday and schedule purposeful appointments for your success in the coming year.

2. Set aside time to meet with God. Daily. Don’t lean solely on your own understanding. Determine in all your ways to acknowledge God. Trust God to direct your steps.

3. To borrow from Jon Bon, “Each one of you has something no one else has, or has ever had: your fingerprints, your brain, your heart. Be an individual. Be unique. Stand out. Make noise. Make someone notice. That’s the power of individuals.”

Writing is a craft that I will amplify this year. I will make 2019 a year to stand out, make noise and leave my fingerprints on life changes for readers wherever God and the digital world take my words.

No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.

Take a lesson from Jon Bon. It’s your life. Make it a hit.

About this Contributor:

Robert (Bob) W. Jones is a recovering perfectionist, who collects Coca-Cola memorabilia and drinks Iced Tea. His office walls are adorned with his sons’ framed football jerseys, and his library shelves, with soul food. He writes to inspire people to be real, grow an authentic faith in Jesus, enjoy healthy relationships and discover their life purpose.
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