It’s been a tough few years and today is a reminder of that. There are days when it seems that if something goes wrong, the world will implode. There are days when staying in bed all day seems like the only reasonable course of action.
8 years ago my dad was diagnosed with cancer. To be honest, he sucked, but he didn’t seem like much. He was relatively healthy, ridiculously knowledgeable in the field of natural medicine, and had the most positive attitude of just about anyone I’ve ever met. If anyone was going to get away unscathed, it was him. For years he sought treatment from a host of wonderful doctors, naturopaths, and various other support networks. Sometimes the treatments worked and sometimes they didn’t. In the fourth and fifth years of his battle, extended hospital stays became the norm. I would take my 3 children, including newborn twins, to see his grandfather in the hospital. I can describe most of the hospitals in the Edmonton region: best parking, best view, best food, etc. Ultimately, he was transferred to a hospice hospital.
The hospice staff couldn’t understand why he was sent to their facility. If you are sent to hospice care, doctors usually expect you to die within 6 months. My dad would go out on the farm and work on tractors, go to arts and crafts classes, live life to the best of his ability. He wasn’t doing well, but he didn’t seem like someone who should be in hospice care. The staff even considered removing him from the facility because he was too healthy. It was five months after his stay and exactly one year from today that he made the transition to his heavenly home. My mom, brother and I were in the room with him when it happened. Being with someone when he dies is a life changing experience. One that I cannot fully describe. He makes life seem more real. Anything can happen at any time: we can be here one breath and gone the next.
A couple of weeks ago another tragedy occurred that reminded me of this same lesson. My uncle was riding his bike and was hit at highway speed by an oncoming truck. Once again, one of the most positive and supportive people I know. He is alive, largely due to many prayers, but he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. When he got on his bike that morning, he didn’t think the trip would end with STARS flying him to the hospital at the end of the day. He was just living life.
So you may be wondering why I have shared all this. Partly because I find it cathartic, but mostly because it will allow you to understand my WHY.
Why I do what I do, why I am who I am.
Life is fragile and beautiful. It can be taken from us in the blink of an eye. I want to live with a purpose in mind that today may be my last day. Was I nice? Was I a good example to those around me? Did I help those I could?
Life is too short to dwell on sadness and tragedy. Life sucks sometimes. It does it for you and it does it for me. But what can you get out of these tragedies? There is always a lesson to be learned if you are looking for it.
Appreciate your friends and family. That’s what matters. Possessions come and go.
Everyone needs faith, something and someone to believe in. Sometimes knowing that God is in control is enough, even if life doesn’t make sense right now.
Take care of yourself. Sometimes freak accidents happen that can’t be avoided, but more often than not poor dietary choices and lack of exercise lead to health problems and disease. You may not beat the odds, but you can at least turn them in your favor.
My passion is helping people get the most out of their lives. This is my Why!
What is your why?