The other day, I walked past a pizza stand that is usually packed with people. Most days, the line is long, but on this particular day, it was different. It was still early, just before lunchtime, and the crowd had not arrived yet. The line was short, and the smell of fresh pizza filled the air.
So, I decided to stop and buy one hot slice.
Normally, when I buy a slice of pizza like that, I get back in my car and eat it right there in the parking lot. It is quick, simple, and convenient. But on this day, something was different. I had run out of hand wipes. That meant that I didn’t have anything to clean my hands.
Since I was heading straight home, I thought it would not take very long to get there. I told myself I would wait until I got home and then eat the pizza.
It seemed like a reasonable decision at the time.
I had done some other shopping as well, so when I pulled into my driveway, I had several things to carry into the house. I gathered everything up at once. In one hand I held the small pizza box that contained the slice. Along with that I also picked up my coffee mug and a water bottle. My hands were pretty full, but I figured I could manage.
I opened the door and stepped inside my house.
The moment I walked into the kitchen, the flimsy little pizza box slipped right out of my hand.
It felt like everything slowed down for a second. The box hit the floor, popped open, and the slice of pizza slid out and landed face down on the kitchen floor.
I just stood there staring at it.
If you could have seen me at that moment, you probably would have noticed the disappointment on my face. I had really been looking forward to eating that slice. I had purposely waited until I got home so I could enjoy it.
Now it was lying on the floor.
Some people might say that if you pick food up within a few seconds it is still fine. Some say five seconds. Some say eight seconds. Some people probably would have picked that slice right up and eaten it without a second thought.
But not me.
The moment that slice touched the floor, it was over. There was no debate about it. The pizza had to go into the trash.
So that is exactly what I did.
I threw it away.
As simple as that moment was, something happened right then that caught my attention. As I stood there, looking at the empty pizza box, God reminded me of something that had happened not long before.
It is interesting how God can use the smallest things in life to teach us something deeper.
A short time ago, I attended the funeral of a friend’s mother. In our circles, we often call it a homegoing service. As I sat there quietly reading the obituary, something caught my attention immediately. It almost felt like the words were written in bold red letters.
The obituary mentioned that she had only been retired for five years.
That detail stayed with me the entire service. She had worked for many years, and like many people, she was probably looking forward to the day when she could finally retire and enjoy life at a slower pace.
But only five years after retirement, she was gone.
Several of her children spoke during the service, but the one who stood out to me the most was her son. As he spoke, he shared something that touched everyone in the room.
He talked about the importance of spending time with the people you love while you still have the chance.
His mother had passed away suddenly. In his message, he admitted that there were things he wished he had said to her and apologies he wished he had made while she was still here. There were conversations that he realized would never happen now.
As I listened to him speak, I began to think about how many years she had worked and how much she must have been looking forward to retirement. Yet after all those years of working and waiting, she didn’t have long to enjoy it.
While I sat there listening, my thoughts began to turn inward.
I started thinking about my own life.
I thought about how often I find myself living in the future instead of in the present. I thought about how long and hard I work most days. The early mornings. The late nights.
Even when I take time off from work, I often end up doing more work. Sometimes I use the time to handle projects related to my job. Other times, I try to catch up on things around the house that I have neglected during the busy workweek.
But what really struck me that day was something deeper than work.
I started thinking about the time I do not spend with family and friends.
During the service, someone made a statement we have all heard before. They said we should give people their flowers while they are still living. In other words, appreciate them now. Spend time with them now. Tell them what they mean to you now.
Another reminder that day was that there is more to life than just working.
One thing I found encouraging during the service was something the husband of the woman who passed away shared. He spoke about their life together and how they traveled to many places over the years. They did not wait until retirement to begin enjoying life.
Throughout their marriage, they took trips and created memories together. They visited places around the world long before those final years of retirement.
He spoke about those memories with gratitude and peace.
Even though the time after retirement was short, she had already experienced so much of life. Those moments and memories would stay with him forever.
As he described the places they had visited, I realized they had traveled to destinations that I could only dream about visiting someday. But the important thing was not the locations themselves.
The important thing was that they enjoyed life together while they had the opportunity.
God wants us to be responsible. He wants us to work. He wants us to fulfill the purpose and assignments that He has given to us.
But He also wants us to enjoy the life He has given to the people He has placed in our lives.
Too often we delay joy.
We postpone relationships.
We tell ourselves that someday we will slow down. Someday, we will spend more time with family. Someday, we will reconnect with friends. Someday, we will take that trip or finally do the things we have always talked about doing.
But the truth is that someday is not promised.
If we are not careful, we can spend so much time preparing for the future that we forget to live in the present. We can become so focused on reaching our goals that we miss the moments that really matter.
Then one day, we look up and realize that the opportunity has passed.
That slice of pizza on my kitchen floor reminded me of something simple but powerful.
I had the chance to enjoy it when it was fresh and hot, but I chose to wait.
And by the time I was ready, it was gone.
Life can work the same way.
So, appreciate the people in your life. Spend time with them while you can. Do not postpone the moments that truly matter.
Eat your slice of pizza while it is fresh and hot.
Because if you wait too long, you may never get the chance.
G. Edward Wyche