Early this morning I received the phone call that I knew was coming for the past 2 years – the news that my best man had passed away.
He had a stroke a couple of years ago, which unfortunately left him a shadow of the man he was, the man that I loved. After a few tears this morning, I knew that I had to spend the day doing what this post is all about – spending it with my girls having a great time. So off we went to Hastings for a day at the seaside, just enjoying life.
I know he won’t be frowning about this, he’s up there reunited with his other best mate, having a beer and chuckling over some silly jokes. Because they both lived their lives with smiles on their faces, and everyone loved them. They both were so friendly, so helpful to others, and had hearts of gold.
So why am I telling you all this? Well, as the title of this post suggests, there is only one thing certain in life. And that at some point in the future, we will all die.
So whilst you sit and think about that, remember that life is short, we never know when our time will come. We may live to be 100, but when you do get to those final days, do you want to be looking back and regretting opportunities missed?
We cannot live our lives in a foolhardy fashion. but we can enjoy our lives. So make the most of every day. Be kind. Smile. Work hard, both for yourself and for others. Most importantly, try and put a smile on other people’s faces, even strangers – you never know how that may just give them a little lift when they are down.
And if you are feeling low, do not stew alone, nothing good will come out of it. Reach out to friends, family or professionals – we all need people at times, and whilst everyone seems to be busy these days, hopefully at least one person will be human enough to give you that shoulder to lean on, that ear you need.
My girls are tucked up in bed, and I am sitting here, raising a glass to my dear friend. remembering all the good times we had. I can hear laughter from people in the park, there’s music coming for a festival at the castle nearby, and I can see people leaving the beer festival at the rugby club.
Life goes on all around us, and I know that i will wake tomorrow, remember my friend, smile, and enjoy life with renewed vigour. Because it’s what he would have wanted. So join me in celebration please, and live tomorrow with a smile, with purpose, and with kindness. Because you can.
Many thanks
Paul
Leave a Reply