Eigth days ago we lost a special person, someone who had touched hundreds of lives, someone who gave up so much of her own life to help others and even at the very end was thinking of her very special husband.
This led me to think about just what matters in life and how we cope.
Everything dies, we all die eventually, it is the one thing we can be certain of. It does not matter how much money we have, how many friends, family, it is inevitable.
I sat and watched a special lady take her last breath eight days ago, we had known each other for many years, we had laughed, cried, and argued, but she was still a special person. We had our disagreements but we were always there, she was always there for everyone, yet some treated her badly, especially when she was ill.
She was dedicated to helping others, organising events, helping bereaved families, helping veterans, children with special needs, her family, and her friends, but most important she was there for her husband. They shared many great years and sang, danced, and enjoyed her life. She leaves a legacy that will never be forgotten, a legacy that will live on through her family and friends.
She had known that she was ill for many months, she fought hard and battled against it, but it took her in the end. Yet she remained strong for others, fought with dignity, and always put others before herself.
None of us know how long we have, many lives have been cut short, my family has suffered many premature deaths, taken at an early age as have many others.
We all have many occasions in our lives, some happy, some sad. Some make us smile, some make us cry, others make us angry. Many of us now live without a treasured loved one, wishing we could talk to that special person one last time. Wishing we could hear their voice, see their face, listen to them laugh.
If you can still speak to that person, do it today, pick up the phone, video chat with them, ask them how they are, re-kindle relationships before it is too late. Live for today, don't wait until it is too late.
None of us know when our time will come, none of us know the future, but we can make it a better future by being kind, considerate, and look after loved ones, make a difference.
The world has lost a shining light this week, a caring, compassionate person who was a very special person and helped hundreds of people. She will be missed by a lot of people.
