This was supposed to be a post tied into the regrets and questions brought about by not doing something, in particular not riding. Life has a strange way of driving home a point at the most appropriate moment.
While standing in the rain watching my eldest kick a soccer ball tonight, my cell started buzzing. I checked the caller ID and was pleasantly surprised to see it was a friend and mentor I hadn’t talked to in ages. “Clark! It’s been too long.” There was a moment of silence on the other end before his wife started to speak. “It’s Clark” she said, her voice cracking. “He’s died”.
I didn’t know what to say. Do you ever know what to say? I mumbled some lame condolences and offered my assistance for whatever she might need. I asked if he’d been sick but no, there was no warning, no indicator. One minute he’d been enjoying an evening out with his wife and in a matter of moments he dropped dead. Just like that.
No chance for catching up, for expressing gratitude, no chance to convey all of those things that lurk and linger but are rarely expressed. One minute a vibrant life and the next …nothing. For those left behind that seems an unfair hand to be dealt. On the surface you’d think one would want the opportunity to say those things, to express those feelings and too, to try and find some emotional bracing for the inevitable.
On the other hand, surely this is better than a protracted illness of suffering and pain, the gradual (or not so gradual) loss of independence and dignity. A slow wasting away. Plenty of time to know. But at what price?
No regrets. If we are to live with no regrets, then one must find a way to remove the self-imposed boundaries and limits and live, for it would seem it is the things we haven’t done that become our greatest regrets.
Thank you for reading this blog – it means a lot that other people can be bothered to read what I write and find something that engages, enrages or amuses them. Thank you too for being in my life and being the amazing, fantastic, wonderful characters that you are. I am better for it and so is my world.
Go. Live without regret.
So often folks think these same thoughts but cannot express them in words or write them down. Its a talent you have with the written word that makes reading this blog so much fun and I come away with a renewed appreciation of how lucky we are to have you in our family.
I too believe that we need to grab each moment and make it the best. Do what we love to do – and never put off saying I love you and you are important to me. We never know how long we have.
There is no “Make up exam” or “do over” for life. Once it has ended that is it. What we do each day we live is important to what happens “after”.
Paul writes in 1Corinthians 3 about our lives being made up of “gold, silver and precious metals or wood, hay, straw”. All will be tested by fire and what remains after the fire is what our life on earth was about.
Continue to be the person who loves, who cares about those around him and who makes his family feel so good about themselves. You are an inspiration my son. Thank you for being you.