Early this morning I received the phone call that I knew was coming for the past 2 years – the news that my best man had passed away.
He had a stroke a couple of years ago, which unfortunately left him a shadow of the man he was, the man that I loved. After a few tears this morning, I knew that I had to spend the day doing what this post is all about – spending it with my girls having a great time. So off we went to Hastings for a day at the seaside, just enjoying life.
I know he won’t be frowning about this, he’s up there reunited with his other best mate, having a beer and chuckling over some silly jokes. Because they both lived their lives with smiles on their faces, and everyone loved them. They both were so friendly, so helpful to others, and had hearts of gold.
So why am I telling you all this? Well, as the title of this post suggests, there is only one thing certain in life. And that at some point in the future, we will all die.
So whilst you sit and think about that, remember that life is short, we never know when our time will come. We may live to be 100, but when you do get to those final days, do you want to be looking back and regretting opportunities missed?
We cannot live our lives in a foolhardy fashion. but we can enjoy our lives. So make the most of every day. Be kind. Smile. Work hard, both for yourself and for others. Most importantly, try and put a smile on other people’s faces, even strangers – you never know how that may just give them a little lift when they are down.
And if you are feeling low, do not stew alone, nothing good will come out of it. Reach out to friends, family or professionals – we all need people at times, and whilst everyone seems to be busy these days, hopefully at least one person will be human enough to give you that shoulder to lean on, that ear you need.
My girls are tucked up in bed, and I am sitting here, raising a glass to my dear friend. remembering all the good times we had. I can hear laughter from people in the park, there’s music coming for a festival at the castle nearby, and I can see people leaving the beer festival at the rugby club.
Life goes on all around us, and I know that i will wake tomorrow, remember my friend, smile, and enjoy life with renewed vigour. Because it’s what he would have wanted. So join me in celebration please, and live tomorrow with a smile, with purpose, and with kindness. Because you can.
Many thanks
Paul
So sorry about your friend. 🙁 But I really like this..
“So make the most of every day. Be kind. Smile. Work hard, both for yourself and for others. Most importantly, try and put a smile on other people’s faces, even strangers – you never know how that may just give them a little lift when they are down.”
It sounds simple, but if we all did a little more of this I’m sure the world would be a better place.
Thank you Helen for your comment. I see quite a few of the same faces each day on my travels. Some look down at the ground and seem so rushed. But others look up, look you in the eye, smile or say hello. Which ones do you think look happiest, and also put a smile on my face? It would be good with more of this in our days.
Sorry to hear about your best man, Paul.
I do this. I smile at strangers, start conversations in the checkout queue at the supermarket, try to exchange a few words with anybody. It may brighten someone’s day. It certainly brightens mine 🙂
That’s great news Shan – keep up the good work!
Sorry to hear of your loss, bu you’re absolutely right. Making each day count is about the attitude you carry and the positive things you do, for others and for yourself. A sad occasion, but a good celebration. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Many thanks for your message Erika. I am pleased that so many of you agree with me – these things are certainly a good reminder of what is important in life.
Sorry to hear your news paul, i’ve always enjoyed life gut following 3 recent heart attacks and a stroke, i’ve had to face my on mortality recently, makes you look at things in a different light
Wow, so sorry to hear that Mike. I think until you are in that situation you can only guess what it must feel like and the effect it has on your outlook, how you live every day. I hope that you continue on your road to recovery and that you get back to full health soon. And enjoy your life!
This is beautiful Paul, and so true. We never know what tomorrow will bring, life is never guaranteed to us. This is a great reminder for us all and a wonderful tribute to your deal friend.
Thank you Rachel. That is the thing – not only is it going to happen, that’s for certain, but we do not know when. So make sure that as we all live our every day lives, which can be full of bad moments some days, we have to also remember to make ourselves happy by doing things we love.