Posted on: 06 June, 2002
Author: Dave Balch
... most of us need a little reminder every now andthen about what is really ... ... will happen inour lives and we just sort of sit up, slap our ... and say "DO Unfortunately, most of us need a little reminder every now andthen about what is really important. Something will happen inour lives and we just sort of sit up, slap our foreheadsstupidly, and say "DOH! Of course! I knew that, but I forgotthat I knew that!"The trouble is that we never know when that's going to happenand, when it does, it may be too late. If you lose a loved onein a tragic accident, how will you be able to say those things tothem that you meant to say but never did?My guess is that you probably don't have to think very hard tofigure out your top priorities in life. Are you taking the time,however short, to think about it? And are you actingaccordingly, spending your time and financial resources where itmatters the most?I just got a reminder of my own; my bride of 19 years wasdiagnosed with breast cancer. After we got the news I felt twoprofound emotions: fear and gratitude. The fear, of course, wasabout what the future held. The gratitude was for all the timewe have been able to spend together by working at home for over20 years.After her first surgery we learned that it had spread. When thesituation is dire, it's easy to drop the things that used to besoooooooo important and focus on the things that really are.I was in the parking lot of a local market and I saw a man andwoman arguing about something. I thought about how their angerwas probably over something that, in reality, just doesn't mattera hoot. Someday they, too, may get a sudden reminder and theywill hopefully realize how unimportant and insignificant thosetypes of arguments usually are.In going back over this article, it reads sort of negative,doesn't it? (SORT OF???) I don't mean to put you on a downer, Ijust want to make sure that you keep balance and perspective inyour life. I want my reminder to serve as your reminder. It'samazing how quickly 'important' things can become unimportant.It's easy to work a lot when you own a small business (I'll betyou didn't know thatÂ…) which makes it hard to achieve thatbalance and perspective without some conscious effort. Are yourpriorities in order? Don't wait for that giant reminder to comeand slap you in the face. The next time you get angry with aloved one, ask yourself if it really matters that much.One of my favorite movie quotes is from "Mr. Mom", one ofMichael Keaton's first movies. In it, he loses his corporatejob, can't find another, and his wife (played by Terri Garr) endsup going back to work for an advertising firm leaving him at hometo take care of the kids. She ends up working too much, so hesays these eight words to her.Now I'm saying them to you:"It's easy to forget what's important. So don't." Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com