Army veteran John Crabtree had been receiving benefits from the government. He had been wounded in Vietnam and was now on permanent disability. One day, out of the blue, he received an official notification from the government of his own death. Needless to say, this was quite a shock!

Mr. Crabtree wrote the government a letter stating that he was indeed very much alive and would like to continue receiving his benefits. The letter did no good. He then tried calling the government. (Have you ever tried to call the government? This required the patience of Job and the persistence of Noah!) The phone calls didn't change his situation either. Finally, as a last resort, the veteran contacted a local television station, which ran a human-interest story about his plight.

During the interview, the reporter asked him, "How do you feel about this ordeal?" The veteran chuckled and said, "Well, I feel a little frustrated. After all, have you ever had to prove that you're alive?"

That's a pretty good question for all of us. Can you prove that you are alive? Really, genuinely, deep-down alive? When was the last time you had an alive moment, not the last time you took a breath or had your heart beat inside your chest, but the last time you felt yourself alive to your life, alive to loving, deeply present with the gift of life itself?