Live Life Like You're Dying...

I am not a fan of country music, but the Tim McGraw song 'Live Life Like You're Dying' really struck a chord in me tonight. I only watched about 10 minutes of the Grammy's, and Tim McGraw happened to be singing this song at this time. I had heard about the song before, but felt it would be morbid and all. Actually, I found it to be inspiration to all of us who are still living. The gist of the song is that this man found out he was dying, and instead of just letting go and feeling sorry for himself, which I could see doing, he used his time left in a good way. He did all the things he wanted to always do, but what I like about the message of the song was he became the PERSON he always should have been. A better husband and friend. He found time to be there for others in ways he would not have done before, and he ENJOYED it. I know there are days when I could be doing better at being a friend, wife and mother.

My mom was an inspiration to me, just as this song was. When she found out her cancer was terminal, she sprung into action. I do not think my mom had an ounce of regret when she died. She was a good wife, friend and mother to the end. I was talking to her cousin tonight, and we reminisced about how she was still helping people up until her final month. A little background info. here, my mom made it to her cousin's daughter's bridal shower; I am still not sure how. This was only a month before she died. Well, a woman named Rita was there; she was a friend of my mom's cousin. She had recently been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was having a hard time dealing with it all. My mom, in tremendous pain, got on her knees next to Rita so she could look her in the eyes when talking to her. As Rita descibed what she was feeling, the nausea, inability to get out of bed, the fear, my mom listened. My mom then told her what anti-nausea medicine she needed to be on, and that she was depressed. She needed to call her doctor the next day. Well, Rita did. That anti-nausea medicine, Kytril, worked wonders for her and enabled to her to tolerate the chemo. And her doctor believed Rita was depressed, and she got help for that as well. Rita always talked about how much my mom helped her, long after my mom died. But that is what my mom did; she used her knowledge of cancer from being a cancer patient as well as an oncology nurse to help others. It gave her a purpose.

I was very saddened to find out a few hours ago that Rita passed away from her ovarian cancer. She was at home, out of pain. She did it her way. I am happy for Rita that she has, in her words, 'gone home.' She fought so hard, but in the end it was time for her to be with the Lord, and I pray, with my mom. I am praying for her family though, as I know what they will be going through. The one thing I ask all of you is, in the words of Tim McGraw's song, please live your life like you're dying. Do not put off LIVING. You may live to be 100 years old, but so what, living a good life is what's important. That doesn't come from material goods. It comes from living life in its small moments. Hug your spouse, call a friend and just listen, play with your children. That's what it's all about. In memory, and honor, of my mom and Rita's lives, please stop what you are doing, and 'live your life like you're dying.