Christmas and Living Like You are Dying

My three sons, my parents, and my sister all spent Christmas and the following days together in Huntsville. As always we had a tremendous time together. Christmas evening Mom made the traditional meal: turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, fruit salad, and cake. After supper we exchanged gifts.

My sister was in Huntsville until Thursday, so all six of us were together Monday through Thursday. I can probably count on one hand the number of days each year that our entire family is together in one place at one time. Because of that, this is definitely one of the best times of the year. My parents are 76 and 74. The last few years I have started thinking quite a bit about the possibility that they could pass away at any time.

It is so easy to get caught in the trap of thinking that things "will always be this way". I have celebrated Christmas with my parents 41 years in a row; 35 of those have been in the same house in Northeast Huntsville, at the foot of Monte Sano. It is only natural to think this will continue. The reality we all must face, though, is that it will certainly not always be like this.

I may never see either of my parents alive again. The same can be said, though perhaps it is less likely, regarding my sister or my sons. It is also possible that they may never see me again. I am not trying to sound overly maudlin or pessimistic. It's just that we need to consider these realities in order to live better quality lives.

If someone out there happens to read this post, my hope is that you pause and think about these things in your own life. These thoughts, in and of themselves, are most unpleasant and not something that should be dwelt upon. Nevertheless, they are real and we need to reach out more to those we love.

Here's a song by Tim McGraw that sums it all up...

Live Like You Weere Dying

He said I was in my early forties
with a lot of life before me
when a moment came that stopped me on a dime
and I spent most of the next days
looking at the x-rays
Talking bout the options
and talking bout sweet time
I asked him when it sank in
that this might really be the real end
how's it hit you when you get that kinda news
man what'd you do

and he said
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu
and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

He said I was finally the husband
that most the time I wasn't
and I became a friend a friend would like to have
and all the sudden going fishin
wasn't such an imposition
and I went three times that year I lost my dad
well I finally read the good book
and I took a good long hard look
at what I'd do if I could do it all again

and then
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu
and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

Like tomorrow was a gift and you got eternity to think about
what'd you do with it what did you do with it
what did I do with it
what would I do with it'

Sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu
and then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I watched an eagle as it was flying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying