Throughout the past week I have been given many opportunities to contemplate this event we call ?life.? It made me stop and realize just how many forms, meanings and expressions the word ?life? encompasses on any given day. In one week's time, I was called upon to attend a wake and help celebrate a life well lived; I was asked to send love for an individual slowly making their transition into death and was also asked to send hope for a woman undergoing cancer surgery. I've been asked to celebrate with a friend whose surgery made her body cancer free, and honor the 6th year anniversary of my partner killed in an automobile accident. I've celebrated the birthday of a great friend and officiated the marriage of a 78-year old couple that decided nine months of pre-marital classes required by their religion was too long to wait to enjoy the gift of being together. Ironically, nine months couldn't come soon enough for a young couple as I watched them at long last welcome their twin boys into the world. From birth to death, life came full circle for me this week.

Life is the space between birth and death. Most of us have approximately 80 years to experience the journey of life. I often refer to the word life as an acronym; whose corresponding letters mean Living In Full Expression. Some people experience life as unsettling and unsatisfying. Others experience life as the victim, the one always left out, short-changed, done wrong or faced with one tragedy after another. Still others experience life kicking and screaming, beating their chest like King-Kong, stealing energy from others and mistakenly thinking it will add more to their own. And some people experience life as marvelous and fascinating, full of great friends and excellent opportunities. What makes the difference?

Maybe it's karma. Maybe it's destiny. Maybe it's perception and choice. If we perceive life as a challenge, life will support us in bringing challenges we can handle. If we perceive life as an opportunity, life will support us in bringing experiences to enjoy. The same experiences perceived as a challenge for one present opportunity for another. We all have a choice in how we perceive life. We all have a choice in how we invest our life's energy. We all have a choice in how we experience life.

Life is a huge package ready for us to open, fully claim our greatness and call out that same greatness in others. Our perception makes all the difference- is it merely a ?package? or a ?gift?? I am very blessed with a vocation, a ?calling,? to help others open their gift of life. I support others who have a deep desire to know their presence, feel their power and live their passions. Life is about living every day in full expression. How we choose to express ourselves determines whether life becomes a destination we dread or a journey to embrace.