So… A friend of mine died

Yesterday night, I found out a friend of mine died and it hurts!  He left behind two little boys and a wife who is probably heartbroken – I have not spoken to her yet.

There I was sitting at my princesses’ Girl’s Brigade Award Ceremony and whispering excitedly to my hubby about our imminent move out of the country to experience the joys of laptop lifestyling round the world (only warm climates allowed!) and he glanced at Facebook to be informed that this friend had died.

There is a part of me that thinks death is just a passage to something better, something new and possibly even a release from the cage of our bodies but then there is just the part of me that hates to have people leave.

It hurts deep inside.  He has been a part of my life since I was 17.  I came to the UK, feeling completely out of place, wondering where I fit in.  The regular 17 year olds were far too concerned with smoking, drinking and sleeping around and I had just dropped in from Africa, all fresh faced, naïve and with very few clothes.

And I was slightly horrified and VERY lonely.  He became a part of my family – He was one of many that took me on and cared for me. He was my brother.

He used to pick me up and take me to church events – Which almost always resulted in him waiting downstairs (for AGES) in the mini bus as I primped and kept everyone waiting and there was never an angry word.  He helped me move house several times.  He came and watched movies with me and he was just a joy to be around.

I have not been in close contact for a little while as I no longer attend that church but I loved him dearly.  And now he is gone.  Just like that!

You can think all is going well one moment and then, you are snuffed out…

 Just like that.  There is no rhyme or reason to it at times or at least so it feels at the time.

And Again, I remind you that there is no more time to live the wrong life.  If there is something you want to do, to be, to have, then why not take the time NOW while you are still here to get on and make stuff happen.

So many random things distract us and they all seem soooo important at the time but are they, really?

We get caught up in appearing to have it all together and performing for the people in our world instead of doing whatever it takes to ensure that we live a meaningful, wealthy and fulfilling life.

Will all the pandering and conforming feel good when the grim reaper comes to call?

Do you not see that most of your regrets will be about the things you did not do because you were distracted?

Today is what we have.

TODAY!

If there is something you want to make happen then TODAY is the day to begin.

Stop using your kids, your job, your partner, your mother, your father, your boss, your friends, your WHATEVER, as an excuse not to live your life to the full.

I lament the loss of my friend, (in fact, I cry as I write this), but I am thankful that I no longer face someone’s death and then feel the need to change my whole life.

Right now, for a change, I KNOW I am living out my purpose, my mission, my calling and I feel pretty good about it.

Things may not be completely perfect but I know I am on the path.

Every day is a case of getting clear on who I choose to be and deliberately removing anything that gets in the way of me fulfilling my purpose and also deliberately installing new habits.

Death is certainly coming for us all, as morbid as that sounds.  Will you be ready?  Or will you feel cheated because all your dreams were planned for ‘ONE DAY’?

Please!