Be Better

I hope you don't mind, but I would like to share a personal story. Yesterday my family and I had to break the news to a family member that they had cancer and only have a short time left here on the this earth with us. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life. This news forced me to have a day of reflection on life and how precious and fleeting it is and can be. I had to think back and ask myself how well or how bad I have done in my own life. How well had I learned my lessons along the way. Had I taken those lessons and passed them onto my children properly. Have i become better at being a good person to my fellow man. How often can I let the stupid anger go of somebody not driving fast enough or somebody walking at a snails pace in front of me. Have I been able to see that maybe there is a good reason for the slow driver or maybe the slow pace is meant for me to see or experience something special because i was forced to slow down and be patient. Have I been a good father and how much better can I become and what do I need to do to make that happen. Have I always been there for my wife or have I taken advantage of her because I know she has and will always be there for me. These where just a few of the questions I was left to ponder yesterday while waiting to break the news. The issue is why does it take something like this to make you have that kind of deep reflection. In todays world we seem so out of touch. All you have to do is read the comments after a facebook posting or a news article and see the meanness and rudeness that has permeated into our daily lives. This attitude needs to go away before it is to late. We can do better then this. We can ask ourselves these questions and be honest with ourselves. Maybe then we will all start to realize how precious life is and learn to be more kind to ourselves and start being kinder to the people around us everyday no matter if there your closest person or someone you don't even know.