Live Like We're Dying...

I've learned a huge lesson in the last 48 hours.  

Count your blessings.

Be thankful what you have...and for what you don't have.

My dear friend's life has literally been turned upside in the last 48 hours.  Her seemingly healthy 3 year-old son went to the doctors because of an eye infection on Tuesday. 

Today he has Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.  If you saw him you wouldn't even know he was sick.  He's still a rambunctious 3 year-old who couldn't understand why he couldn't eat strawberries for breakfast this morning...who had to have all his "helmets" (Star Wars Figures) in his bed with him. 

To look at him, you wouldn't know he has cancer growing everywhere...behind his left eye, in his abdomen, his lymph nodes, his bone marrow. 

Life can change in literally an instant...a second...a fraction of a second.

I hate for my friend to be going through this.  I'm ashamed to admit that her suffering is humbling me enough to change, to be more positive, to be a better example, to live better.  I feel ashamed I even have to learn this lesson...especially at a time like this.

And in typical fashion, I received a sign today as I was driving to the hospital, and Kris Allen's song Live Like We're Dying came on the radio.   In that moment, I vowed to love better, be thankful, and be grateful for everything that I have, and to live life to the fullest regardless of any situation, and be there for people that matter to you, no matter what.

Sometimes we fall down and can’t get back up
We’re hiding behind skin that’s too tough

How come we don’t say I love you enough

Till it’s to late, it’s not too late

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won’t come

We could make a feast from these crumbs

And we’re all staring down the barrel of a gun

So if your life flashed before you

What would you wish you would’ve done

Yeah… gotta start

Lookin at the hand of the time we’ve been given here

This is all we got and we gotta start pickin it

Every second counts on a clock that’s tickin’

Gotta live like we’re dying

We only got

86 400 seconds in a day to

Turn it all around or throw it all away

We gotta tell ‘em that we love ‘em

While we got the chance to say

Gotta live like we’re dying

And if your plane fell out of the skies

Who would you call with your last goodbyes

Should be so careful who we live out our lives

So when we long for absolution

There’ll no one on the line

Yeah… gotta start

Lookin at the hand of the time we’ve been given here

This is all we got and we gotta start pickin it

Every second counts on a clock that’s tickin’

Gotta live like we’re dying

We only got

86 400 seconds in a day to

Turn it all around or throw it all away

To my dear friend...I'm here for you no matter what. No matter how or when.  You are an inspiration to me on how to shine like a beacon of hope and strength during the darkest hour.  I know it's been a long time that we've been out of contact, but I know God brought the 3 of us back together for this very reason.  Now let's stop with the sappy stuff and kick the fucking shit out of cancer! xoxo

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