Mark,
You have hit my "Logic Center" and you are absolutely correct. In my attempt to please, I overlooked some basics.
Here is this Sundays Column!!! It will be at my web site as well......
Good Morning,
Well another Sunday has rolled around and it is again time for the thought of the week. As I started this last week I said there would be several topics in which I would interject my own thoughts on, just because I my thoughts might help someone else out there. This weeks topic is one that not a lot of people put much thought into because it is considered "The Dark Subject".
Death and Mortality
This last week I had this subject thrust at me from different quarters. To begin with, I received phone calls about losing two family members. One outright, and one that is in the hospital dying. Then Thursday I spent the day in the hospital because of what we thought was another heart attack. After spending all day Friday undergoing tests, it turned out that it was not a heart attack but no cause for the symptoms has yet to be determined, more tests starting again Monday. Now I only bring all this up so that you will understand my frame of mind right now. As I lay in the E.R. all wired up with the bips, and the bings and the bongs, I went over my life. I asked the usual questions of myself, "Had I prepared my family?", "Did I raise my kids right?", "Will they be OK tomorrow if things go bad tonight?". I tired to remember all of the time spent with family and the lessons I had passed along about life, But, the thing that struck me the hardest, I couldn't remember that many.
Now as to my first question, "Had I prepared my family?". I spent my entire life working very hard to provide the comforts of life, warm house, food, cloths, etc, as I'm sure every one of you out there are doing now. I did however over look a few items. A warm house does not make a warm "Home", just as a full belly does not make a full heart. The thing I left out, in all of my good intentions according to societies standards of house, money, security at my passing, were memories! What will my kids remember as time passes? They may remember, Dad worked hard providing for us, he traveled all the time to where ever the work was, he came home on the weekends now and then, or, will they remember when Dad came home he sat in his easy chair and told us to leave him alone to relax because he was very tired. Will they remember the times they wanted to just go fishing, or play ball, or go for a family drive and I would say "Not right now I have more important thing to do!" "More Important", today I hang my head in shame for ever mouthing those vile words. What could possibly be more important that creating "Memories", "What in life means more to any living person?". I have a second chance that I am not going to let slip away no matter what the cost. Now some of you that might read this are saying right about now, well you're retired but I still have to work for a living just to get by, its easy for you as your kids are almost grown and can take care of themselves. Well I'm saying to you few, I am not rich by any means and what I am contemplating (trying to buy a boat) is going to hurt and may not happen, but I cannot afford not to try. Can you afford not to sit down, right now, and decide to bank those memories in case the day ever comes "You" might be laying in some E.R. asking yourselves, "Is my house a home?", "Do my kids have full bellies or full hearts?"
Everyone knows I put great stock in a smile a day, no matter what. The best way to get one is to give one to someone else but I have found a better plan. Give one to your family and you get two back, give them two and you get four back, four and you get eight, and so on. Now no matter how you look at it, that is a 100% return on your investment, now match that anywhere on your dollars and we would all jump through hoops for the chance at such a guaranteed return. Well guess what? This investments almost free and the dividends you get in return are priceless. So please take a few minutes and check your "Hearts" account balance, see if it's keeping up with inflation and that you have left enough for your family and friends to get by on when you leave this world, because we never know when the Big I.R.S. guy is going to say it's time to pay your taxes and it will be to late. It doesn't take much, but you have to start today, just a little at a time and watch things grow, before you know it you will be hoarding every minute without even trying.
William Brotherson
|
