Live everyday as if you will lose a loved one tomorrow.

I read this very touching story today. Expectant parents were told that their unborn child would not live long after birth.  They chose to continue the pregnancy, but this is not an anti-abortion article.  What this couple decided to do was to do all the things that they would want to do with their child before it was born.  They created a bucket list for their unborn child and spent the months of the pregnancy joyfully doing all the things on the list together celebrating the short time they will have their child.  The time for delivery is quickly approaching in October and the couple finished the bucket list on September 6th.  They now have pictures of all the places on the bucket list to help them remember the time they have had together.

Most of us have friends and family that we hold dear.  Do we take for granted that they will be there the next day?  Do we postpone get togethers and celebrations for work or trivial things?  Do we tell those closest to us how much they mean to us?  I have thought about a bucket list ever since the movie the bucket list came out.  Instead of fun things and exotic places I propose that a bucket list should be comprised of people and things to do with those people that will enrich their lives.  Those are the memories that will remain when one of you are gone.

Most of us don't know when our time on this planet is over.  Death can come suddenly or slowly. 
I hadn't seen my Father in 10 years when he passed away because we had moved clear across the country.  We did share phone calls though.  My Father had some routine surgery to repair a hernia that they thought was the cause of some pain that he was having.  He got through the surgery just fine, but in the next few weeks he went downhill fast.  I had several conversations with him over those weeks and had my last one the day before he was admitted to the hospital on a Wednesday.  He was taken off life support the following Sunday.  I was so grateful that I took the opportunity to tell him I loved him before he passed.  I did it not knowing he would be gone so soon.

I try to tell my children and spouse I love them daily and we spend time together even though we now have busy teenagers.  Our adult children are more difficult to keep in contact with but we do our best.  We have photos and memories of all the things we have done together. I have memories of my sons military graduations and time with him in South Carolina while he is in school.  I have memories of trips with my Mother and try to do my best to stay in touch with her when she is not traveling. 

The exotic trips and once in a lifetime experiences might be something desirable to some but to me unless I am doing them with someone special it has no real meaning in my life.  Life is precious and short.  We would do well to remember that and not take any moment of our lives with our friends and family for granted because life can change in a moment.