Last Day

As I write this article, I am on a flight to Fort Lauderdale, the very same airport where a sick individual opened fire on a group of innocent people yesterday as they were collecting their baggage. None of those people had any idea that this would be their last day.

Who would you be in a crisis? I heard a witness being interviewed after the Fort Lauderdale shootings. She was complaining that the authorities shut down the airport, the toilets were overflowing, and the police were not very responsive to the needs of the people. As she was busy focusing on herself, there were other travelers who were putting their lives in jeopardy to care for the injured. We never know how we will react in a crisis. Think about who you would want to be.

Leave no regrets. Stop waiting to do all the things you want to do. None of us knows if we will have the opportunity if we wait. Settle disputes with people you care about and tell them you love them. If there are activities that you are passionate about, do them now.

Be careful how you treat people. A 14 year-old friend of my daughter, has a father who has been fighting pancreatic cancer. Over the past two months she has been lashing out at her friends, saying hurtful things, and alienating them. The family knew it would be his last Christmas. They planned a special meal and picked out amazing gifts. They woke up Christmas morning to find that their father had lost his battle. The girl now finds herself in a place where she needs her friends. Yesterday she sent a text to my daughter (and several others) apologizing for her behavior. Fortunately, they are a good group of kids. They have overlooked the way they were treated and are supporting her.

You can’t take back words. We often say things out of anger. Sometimes we are able to apologize, but there are times when we don’t get the opportunity. What if a relative of one the Fort Lauderdale victims said something they regretted just before their loved one left for the airport? Now they will never have the chance to apologize. It’s also important to acknowledge that an apology is not an eraser. When you say something hurtful you create a wound. Even though the injury may heal, the scar still remains.

The message here is simple. Live everyday like it could be your last. Find the enjoyment in life. Be good to those around you. None of us knows which day will be our last day.