Life is short and so often we spend time on things that do not really matter.
A close friend of mine lost her dad yesterday to throat cancer. He was also a man in my life that fathered me (even if from afar).
I met this friend my sophomore year of boarding high school in St. Louis. She was my first roommate and we were both new to this school. Her father was a Southwest Airlines pilot and their hub was in St. Louis, so we saw him often — which of course was so fun to have him take us out and dote on us from time to time. It was always a special treat.
What I remember more than those visits was his calm demeanor, his poise, his love of flying, his love for his daughters, but also I knew he cared so much about me. At the end of my sophomore year I lost my mom and my dad was not involved in my life. This man was concerned that with the death of my mom, I would lose my scholarship to the school. So he made it clear to the school that they continue to make sure I could attend for my junior or senior year, or he would cover the expenses to make sure I could attend.
Who does that?
Seriously, anytime I have thought of it over the years I get tears in my eyes (and I am not the crying type).
It is a reminder to me of how often we do not stop to smell the roses, help that person to the other side of the road, or just pause and connect with another in our life.
How can we take moments each day to see others in our lives? Give a bit more than you usually would? I’m not asking for you to pay for boarding school for another, but there is so much more we can do to take care of another each day — what if we did something everyday?
The world would be a better place.
You will be missed, Paul.
