I was a volunteer for a hospice for a while, visiting with the patients and keeping them company whenever their family couldn’t be there, so they wouldn’t be alone.
What struck me the most about those experiences, were that these people, who were in the last weeks and days of their lives, all seemed to share the same regrets. They wished they had paid more attention to their lives, and enjoyed their loved ones more.
They weren’t talking about regretting missed professional goals, or financial achievements. They simply wished they had enjoyed their day-to-day lives, and loved ones more, when they still had the chance.
It was sad sitting with these folks who knew that the end was imminent, and there they had such regrets. And it was a powerful lesson I still think about, especially when I get all worked up obsessing over wanting to be successful. I remember that I should be living my life now, no matter what it looks like, and to cherish those I love now.
Learn to appreciate each day, and be aware that you are living it as it unfolds. Those days add up to be your life. One day it will come to a close, and you want to get to that final chapter knowing that you really lived and loved while you had the chance.
Like a Fox! 