Seize those precious moments

by Craig Ruvere

 

A few weeks ago, I found out that a dear friend and former co-worker had fallen ill quite unexpectedly.

There were no warning signs; no indication she was unwell; nothing to alert her of any physical ailment. Then suddenly within a 24 hour period of time, she found herself being rushed off to the emergency room - facing major surgery to remove several tumors from her lower abdomen. Unfortunately, chemotherapy was a very likely part of her future.

It was a phone call you never expect to get, and certainly never want to hear of someone that you care about. But the reality of life is that few of us are spared the trials and tribulations so often associated with our journey here on earth. You just wish it didn’t have to happen to the people who spend most of their lives giving to others, unconditionally, in one way or another.

I came across this very timely passage by Napoleon Hill recently.

“Do it now! can affect every phase of your life. It can help you do the things you should do but don’t feel like doing. It can keep you from procrastinating when an unpleasant duty faces you. But it can also help you do those things that you want to do. It helps you seize those precious moments that, if lost, may never be retrieved.”

I know in my own life I find myself saying “in the future” I’ll do this or that, as though I have an infinite number of years left to live. But the older I get the more I’m beginning to understand that everything can change in an instant – that there really is no security in life.

You need to live each day to its fullest, because you just never know what the next page may hold for you.

So take a moment to stop all the chaos in your life and ask yourself if there’s something you’ve been putting off that is possible today.

I’m in no way suggesting you drain your bank account to purchase something beyond your reach, but if fear or the old adage “in the future” is holding you back from making a change, I suggest you realize that at some point your chances will run out.

I’m happy to say that my friend is an incredibly strong woman – never surrendering to negativity. Even after seeing her a day or so after surgery, she looked wonderful with a positive outlook for the future. And with each passing day her miraculous healing continues.

She’s very lucky – not everyone in this life is. So always remember what Hill says, “seize those precious moments that, if lost, may never be retrieved.”