This is the second installment of my series of my 10 Core Coaching Messages. These 10 ideas are the basis of how I try to live my life and I would like to share them with my friends here at AR. Today's message is LIFE IS PRECIOUS AND LIFE IS SHORT.
Now, you have heard this one a thousand times before, but tonight I would like you to consider this message as more than mere words. I would like you to take this message to heart, I would like you to really consider how precious life is. And the purpose to believing this, is to live your life more fully everyday!
Some people unfortunately, learn this lesson way too early in life. They may have lost a loved one as a child or young person. I learned this lesson when I was 30 years old. I am one of 10 kids in a family that grew up in the heart of suburbia, in a town called Hicksville, NY on Long Island. Yes, I said Hicksville!
I have 6 older sisters and 2 older brothers and 1 brother who is younger than I am. In 1994, my brother Bob was driving home with his son Robert after a day of working in his landscaping business. He pulled over to the shoulder of the Long Island Expressway to look for something in the back seat of his car. At that exact moment, a driver was asleep at the wheel of a small dump truck and hit and killed my brother. My nephew thank goodness was unharmed, except for seeing this happen to his Dad.
My brother was only 39 years old at the time, he just bought his first house with his wife on the east end of Long Island. In addition to my nephew who was only 14, Bob had 2 daughters who were also both young teenagers. Devastation would still be an understatement. We had never experienced death in our family before and now suddenly it was everywhere. It was overwhelming to say the least. Bob was my best man at my wedding and my best friend.
From that moment on, I have never looked at life the same way. I know how precious life is. I know how quickly it can be taken from us. With understanding that, there is a lesson to be learned. It is simply, to live your life fully everyday. To live your life knowing it can be taken at any moment. To live your life doing the things you want to, because you don't know how long we have. To live your life not in a fearful way of this fact, but rather to celebrate life itself.
Looking back at my brother Bob's life, he already understood this fact. He did not have a lot of money, but he always enjoyed his life with his children. Whether it be a Friday night at Friendly's or a Sunday afternoon at the park with our extended family, Bob knew how to get the most out of life. I try everyday to remember this lesson learned.
It was reinforced once again in October 2006. My oldest sister Mary passed away from lung cancer at the age of 54. She was a wonderful and loving older sister, who really lived her life. She loved the Washington Redskins, she loved to bowl and loved to be out on her boat with her husband. She loved her work and her family. She also got the most of her time here.
When I think of Bob and Mary, I'm sad of course, but honestly only for a moment. I quickly revert to knowing that LIFE IS PRECIOUS AND LIFE IS SHORT! And I quickly remember the lessons of their lives is that we should live our lives as fully as we can everyday. We should spend time with the people we love, tell them we love them every chance we get. We should try to do the things that we enjoy in life as much as possible. We should try to see new things, enjoy new activities and meet new people. And cherish the great memories we can make everyday!
I can honestly say, I try to do that as much as possible, just ask my kids! I hope the same for you and your family. If you haven't learned this lesson in your on life yet, please take this message from my life and remember, LIFE IS PRECIOUS AND LIFE IS SHORT! All the best until next time!
Kevin
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