Live like you dying

Received word of a friend who is terminal with cancer. Not only did this rock my world, but it also put things back into perspective. My friend has a song he is listening to, I will find out the title and artist for those interested. The jist of the song is a person finds out they have cancer and they start living and seeing the good in people. The live like they are dying. I'm as guilty as anybody for getting caught up in the day to day crap, and jumping on the scale only to get angry when it drifted up a few pounds, or when it isn't staying down low enough. I'm currently up at 5:30 am in the city I attended college. It is Homecoming and I getting ready to climb up what is known as the M hill. It is a hill by Montana standards, a mountain by some of you folks, but it has a switchback trail up to a huge concrete M which overlooks campus. It was something I could only dream of doing two years ago and something I started doing everytime I was here last year. Point being, I'm going to be up there at sunrise. From my vantage point I'll see the sun light the trees and their colorful foilage. I'll suck in the cool, mountain air. I'll think of how wonderful it is to be alive. And as I trek back down, getting ready to meet folks I haven't seen for awhile I'll live like I'm dying. I'll drink in the moments as if I won't be here tomarrow. I'm not talking about doing anything stupid, but I will enjoy the moments. I'll forget about what I have foresaken to lose all this weight, and I'll bask in the light of all the things that I can do and have. I may not be able to suck down a Bud, but I can race my daughters to the end of the block. I can't have a chocolate chip cookie, but I can sit in a seat without cutting off the blood flow to my legs and making the person next to me uncomfortable because half of me is in their seat with them. I'll watch the parade today, and I'll probably shed a tear or two as my heart swells with pride for my university and my country. I'll remove my hat as "our boys and girls" go past in uniform with "I'm Proud to Be an American" blaring on the sound system. I'll glance to my wonderful family and friends and I'll thank God that I'm alive today and I'll ask him for the courage to live like I'm dying.

Hey Ken; Good to hear from you and thanks for a great post!! A lot of us are caught up in our own issues and we tend to lose track of the big picture. No matter what our troubles, things could be so much worse. I'm sure that I speak for many of the "Marchers" when I thank you for putting things back in focus. We have all come such a long way and have much to be thankful for. It's a beautiful fall day here in Connecticut and I'm going to celebrate it by taking a long walk in the woods with the dog and just "Grooving" on nature!! (Sorry about the 70's lingo, but I'm an old toad)! Take care, partner, and keep posting.....we need your wit and wisdom. Mike

Ken.... Please forgive my stupidity!!! I meant to open my reply by saying how sorry I am to hear about your friends illness. I lost several loved ones to different forms of cancer and have gotten to the point where the very word "cancer" sends chills down my spine. I hope that your friend's cancer is treatable and that full recovery is possible. Mike

OK.....lets try this one more time......I obviously have lost the ability to read.......I missed the word "Terminal" in your post . You see what an effect that word has on me!! Change my last post to "I hope that the pain can be minimized for your friend and his family". Once again please excuse my stupidity. Mike

Wow, Ken, thanks for this. And I am so very sorry about your friend. He is a very lucky person to have a friend like you -- as are we all. Take good care of yourself and each other during this very difficult time. Love, Maureen

I'm sorry about your friend, Ken. The recording artist is Tim McGraw. I know because we used that song in my brother's memorial service in February when he passed away from cancer. It was a favorite of his and really captured his philosophy of life. Life is very short and that makes it all the more precious. I lost my mother last Friday at age 90. She also lived a very full and long life, but it still goes by quickly. In the final analysis, how you live is much more important than how long you live. We have each been given a second chance. I hope I use mine to the max! It is hard to let go of those we love when we have to, but it is important to continue living every day. Thanks for the insight. You are in my prayers. Joy

Joy, I'm so sorry about your mother and brother. What a tough year for you. Big hugs, Connie

Ken, I'm so sorry about your friend. You have a wonderful attitude and you're a terrific friend. I have a friend who lives here in Arizona. Her boyfriend of 20 years was a prominent cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Ohio. They flew back and forth for twenty years waiting for both of them to retire before starting their lives together. He had a practice that he felt he couldn't leave and she was taking care of relatives here that she felt she couldn't leave. A week after he retired here and their dream home was under construction, he had a massive coronary at dinner and was dead within minutes. I learned a valuable lesson from that. I'm not waiting to live my life. I'm with you, Ken. I live every day as if it was my last. No regrets, no woulda, shoulda, couldas. Connie