Life is short...Duh!

When I get up in the morning, I like to cruise the news sites. Yahoo is my "home page" on my computer so, that's usually where I start. The other day I found a story that talked about someone who always says goodbye to her children like it's the last time she will see them.

Is this news? I have always done this. If you don't already know this, here's a clue. Life is unpredictable and all to short. 

Maybe it is because of my military background. I'm not sure. I have a deep appreciation of how fleeting this life we lead is. Every moment is special and we need to live our lives to their fullest.

As I think of it, my first exposure to death was very early in my life. I was very young. I remember my mother and father coming home with a new baby. They came in the house with this little one from the garage, through the basement (There was kind of a playroom for us kids there.). I have a very clear memory of this. But, that's all. I have no other memories of this child. As it turns out, I was not dreaming this experience. My mother told me years later that I in fact had a younger sister, born between myself and my younger brother. Her name was Cathy. I remember going to her grave with my mother once, as a teenager.

My mother had been pregnant many times. She lost all but the 4 of us. I can only imagine the difficulty and unbearable pain the loss of those children caused in my mother. Knowing that she experienced these great losses gave me good reason to respect her even more.

I don't know how my mother dealt with me being in the Navy for so many years. Having two children who were in the service gave me some experience in dealing with the problem of a child in uniform. When my oldest child was in the Marine Corps, I was not to worried. Of course, she was just down the road in North Carolina. I missed her but, we spoke often.

When my son was in Okinawa, I was really terrified. I had this horrible feeling that I was never going to see him again. Now, some may say that this was unreasonable of me but, I don't think so. Just the other day, 4 Marines were killed in a training accident in California.

Let's not worry about military service for the moment. Let's take a look at every day life, shall we?  On average there are over 2,000 vehicle fatalities a month in the United States.

I think every parent knows the nervousness of sending their brand new, teenage driver out for the evening. We stay up because sleep is impossible when we know our new driver is on the road. It's not that we don't trust our kid. We don't trust the other drivers out there!

My mother died 10 years ago. That was the last time I was in New Jersey. I don't drive because of poor eyesight so my wife drove. I was never so glad to leave someplace in my life. The New Jersey Turnpike was like driving the demolition derby! I'm glad I don't drive. It's dangerous.

Life is short. 2 years ago, I got a phone call at 10:30 at night. My older brother had died! He was in his home, and he was dead. Yes, he had health problems. That's what happens when you drink all the time. But, it was still sudden. I had spoken to him that very morning.

If you search your memory, you can think of many people that you know who died suddenly. Each death, weather expected or not underscores the point that life is fleeting.

So, my advice is simple. Don't pass an opportunity to tell your family that you love them. Seize the day! Don't regret. Most important of all: Take care of yourself. Every day is a gift. Don't waste it.

As Always...