Live Ready

It started like just another day. A beautiful, sparking September day. Moms and dads kissed their families goodbye and headed off to the daily “rat race.” The tyranny of the urgent pressed in. Deadlines loomed. Quotas pressured. Legal issues threatened. Personnel problems bubbled. Flights to important meetings summoned. The stuff of life. The stuff that so often occupies our thoughts and our time and pushes out the “big rocks,” the truly important things in life.

Within just a few hours, the unthinkable happened in America. Thousands of innocent lives were lost, families and futures and hopes and dreams crumbled.

People who thought they had many years to take care of the “important” things did not.

What about you? What’s on your “I’ll get to it one of these days” list? 

Only the Lord knows how many days we’ll each have on this earth. We could live to 100, or we could die in our sleep tonight. 

Everyone thinks “it won’t happen to me.” 

News flash: it might.

Years ago, I shared the initial draft of Leave Nothing Unsaid with a friend whose sister was dying of breast cancer. My friend traveled to help her sister write letters to her three children. Unbelievably and tragically, while my friend was away helping her sister, her own husband, a hard charging young executive, dropped dead on the golf course. He was in his early 40’s. No forewarning. The first time I saw my friend after her husband’s sudden death, she poignantly said: “My sister got her letters done. But my husband never had a chance.”

Folks, all of us are terminal. We’re all on this earth for a limited time. When we’re young, our lives seem as though they will go on forever. Then we hit middle age, and tragedy begins to strike people we love. We realize that we might just not be “bulletproof” after all. But it’s still so easy to put off the things we know are important.

Some vital questions for you:

If today were your last, would you be ready? 

Have you made peace with God? 

Do you have a will? 

Would your loved ones have anything in writing that expresses your love for them and your belief in them?

Yes,  legal and financial planning is essential. But equally important is “relationship planning.” Please take the time – now – to write letters to the people that you love the most. It is such a priceless gift.

I normally don’t beg. But I’ve looked into the eyes of too many hurting people who wished the one they had lost had taken the time to express their love in writing. To have a lasting remembrance of what that person really loved about them. So, on behalf of your loved ones, I’m begging you. Please schedule the time to do this soon. 

If you need help, order a workbook. You can even download a PDF version today. Attend an upcoming workshop. Contact me for personal help – either in person or via computer. I would be honored to assist you.

Let’s learn a lesson from 9/11 and live ready. 

The people you love are worth it.