A Word About My World...

Today, my world is moving at a rapid pace. While I don’t have a lot about which to talk (which is surprising to those who know me!), I would like to comment on the emails I have been receiving lately. I’ve come to realize over the past few years that while we watch the news and get a first hand account of all the bad things going on in our world, I’ve discovered within the last few years that so many great people do exist. I run into them every day. For some reason I can’t help thinking about a day that has passed recently, and I do my very best to stay positive and upbeat, as it can become a sad day for me: December 7, 2005. Many think back to December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. I think of that as well. But I also know it to be a day in my personal history that’s very meaningful and memorable: December 7, 1970 is the day my brother was born, and just 26 years later he died of leukemia. May 25, 1988 my little boy, Andrew, was born and December 7, 1991, just 3 ½ short years after his birth he died after experiencing complications from open-heart surgery. Really I would like to say that I feel blessed to have had them both in my life, for they are the very reason I appreciate the many things in life that I can do: run, laugh, hope, see, etc., many of the opportunities I took for granted. I came to realize how important such little activities could be after spending time in several childrens' hospitals, visiting with children who were admitted, all of whom were so strong and courageous. How they caused me to rethink my thoughts: to not feel sorry for myself when I didn’t want to get up and go to work, for instance. I continue to think about those little ones, and I again feel so blessed…

I didn’t write this to make anybody feel sad; I wrote this to remind myself that life is too short to not go for my dreams or participate in endeavors I love, or tell the people who are important in my life just how important they are! Life is too short not to do many things! In the words of Tim Nichols as sung by Tim McGraw “Live Like You Were Dying” is certainly a place to start! …And that’s what I’m continuing to do…