This past weekend I went to the memorial service for my friend that passed away a few weeks ago. It was a lovely event with more than a hundred people in attendance. There were people from all aspects of Albert's life. Friends he met in the 7th grade, friends from high school, friends from college, friends from after college, friends from poker, friends from sea kayaking, friends from polo, friends from a social group, friends from a charity he volunteered with.
We had a number of speakers who told stories. We had a 3 hour paddle. (to scatter some of his ashes in the Bay) We had a long, laughter filled dinner. We had ice cream. All things Albert would have loved doing with us.
For me there were a couple of things said that day that struck me. Hit me hard, made me stop and think.
Albert's brother Tom said that he asked Albert shortly after his initial diagnosis if there was anything he wanted to do with his remaining time. Albert's response was no, he'd pretty much done everything he wanted.
How many of us can say the same thing? How many of us in 45 years have lived their lives fully, with no regrets, so that if we found out tomorrow we were dying, we would just be content to live our our remaining days just like we had before we were diagnosed?
Albert had his life set up so he had the means to live the way he wanted, to go and do some of the things that most of us can only dream about. But I think each of us can find small ways to live like there is no tomorrow. Now I'm not suggesting some list of things to do before you die, but making conscious decisions to take the long way home, or to eat that steak if it's what you really want, or to say screw the housework, I'm going to sit and play with my kids. It's those choices that might make tomorrow a little harder, or cause you to have to work out a little extra, but really, isn't it worth it to live your life fully and end it, whenever, without regrets?
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