This may be a dark post but I have some thoughts on the subject. Recently a friend of mine lost her mom to cancer. She was relatively young and without getting into too many details, it was a very moving and sad service. I haven't been to a funeral in awhile, I think the last one was my brothers 7 years ago. So I went in just wanting to pay my respects to her and her family. What I walked away with was so much more.
They prayed the rosary first and then had a minister get up and say some kind words. The whole thing was in Spanish but I was able to follow along during the rosary somewhat due to the repetition. I was overwhelmed by how big the family was and how many friends were there. The chapel was full and people were standing in the halls of the funeral home. This woman was definitely loved and respected by many people. There was just so much love in the room. Many were crying as well but that understandable obviously. She was loved and she will be greatly missed. It was very moving, to see the impact that this woman had on others. If I live a life where I have an impact on even half that many people I will have felt it was a life well lived.
It got me self reflecting on my life. I'm currently 39 and have lived about half my life according to life expectancy in the US. If I was gone tomorrow, would I have felt that I have lived a good life? Do I have an impact on my family and friends as a good son, cousin, godfather, friend? I feel like there is a lot more I would like to do in my life. Travel, get married, start a family, enjoying and learning new hobbies. None of us know the day or time when God will call us home, will we be ready when that time comes? Needless to say, its spurred my creativity gene to get more active and start working on some personal goals I have. I have a tendency to procrastinate on things and be a couch potato. I don't want to look back on my life with regrets about all the times I decided to just lay on my couch and watch TV when I could have been doing other things to better myself.
With all that said, I have been making a few changes. This service on Sunday just reinforced that I need to continue going down the path I am on. Relaxing is OK every now and then, but I just need to fight the urge to do nothing and be lazy sometimes. Keep self motivating and keep my faith in God and the plan that he has for my life.
Take care friends.
