Check yourself

"No man on his death
bed ever looked up into the eyes of his family and friends and said

'I wish I'd spent more
time at the office'".

Why does it take an "Event" to wake people up and make them examine their own life? What are you talking about, you say? It seems that people get so accustom to the routine of daily life- wake up, eat breakfast, take a shower, go to work, work all day, come home, eat dinner, watch a little tv, go to bed- that it literally takes an "Event" to make them take a step back and re-examine where they are in their own life.

What is an "Event", you ask. Well, it can be anything really...anything from the birth of a baby, the death of a family member or friend, great news or horrible news at the doctor, a birthday, maybe a new job, or moving to a new city...

I've had an "Event" and yes, I have had to take a step back and reexamine where I am in my life and what really matters to me the most. (No, I did not have Kinley yet so don't panic.) This week we received some news about my grandfather's health that I don't think anyone was expecting to be so intense.

We learned that he will have to have his aortic valve replaced as well as double bypass. The doctor told us that if he does not undergo the procedure, that he will not have very long to live since he is all ready experiencing symptoms. Needless to say, this was an extremely big pill to swallow and hard for anyone to hear, but my grandfather took it in stride and said let's do it. In August, he will undergo open heart surgery to tune up his heart. While the surgery will be longer than normal due to his preexisting conditions, the recovery is expected to be an even bumpier road. He will go to the ICU to recover, be on a ventilator, have chest tubes, and also have continuous cardiac monitoring. The doctors are hoping he will be strong enough to come home, but they did discuss that he may have to go into a rehab facility until he is strong enough to be at home.

I can't imagine how my mother or her sisters and brother feel right now after hearing this news. I don't think I have truly realized how much love my parents have for me until I had Harper. This "Event" has made me take a step back and realize just how important my family is to me and how precious life really is. It has made me realize that life is truly a gift and we must take each day as it comes.

So check yourself...what are your priorities? What REALLY matters to you?