While it is a tragedy when we have to deal with one death, dealing with two deaths at the same time seems especially hard. My friend is not only working hard to console both her husband and her son, but she is also helping them prepare to say a few words at the upcoming funerals. At the end of her email to me, she wrote:
"This is another reminder at how short & fragile life is. How we need to live it with intention without carelessness. We just never know when our last conversation will be."I think my friend's words are very wise. Sometimes we walk around thinking that we have another life on reserve. Like we have all the time in the world to fulfill our dreams. But in reality - that's just not true. When we hear news of an untimely death - whether it's of a 50 year old father who thought his cancer was in remission - or a 21 year old college grad who was just about to interview for his first job as a commercial pilot - it's a reminder that time waits for no man.
None of us know how long we have on this planet. Therefore, it's useless to have a "bucket list" of things we want to do "one day". Most of us will not get a call from the doctor telling us we've got a year left to live. Instead, most of us will be here today and gone tomorrow. Therefore, we need to look at what want to do "some day" and figure out how to "do it now".
Twelve days ago, I had the epiphany to set a goal to go to Israel - the top item on my "bucket list". With that decision I took the first step to transform that dream into a goal. Next, I set a date and began to set a plan in motion to make it happen. While I can't control if I will actually live long enough to see my dream fulfilled, I know that at least I am moving in the right direction to reach that dream.
While it's a great idea to draft up a list of "101 Things To Do Before I Die", we can't stop there. Instead, we've got to take the additional steps of choosing an item and devising a plan of action. Even if all we can do is work on one item, we have the power to transform that dream into a specific goal.
The tragic events of this week has further solidified my decision to begin my journey to Israel. I am so grateful that I am already following my friend's advice - living my life with "intention" and recognizing how "short and fragile" life can be.
I think if we are open to the messages the universe sends us - we learn that life is meant to lived to the fullest. So we must do whatever it takes to follow our dreams. Time waits for no man - so we must do our best to appreciate and utilize the time we have.
