The darkest day in 2020 😢
For most of us, the past few weeks have been all about well wishes! Reconnecting with friends, colleagues and associates and wishing them all the very best for the coming year. That was certainly the case for the Fun Man... until today.
I came out of a day of full-on back2back meetings late in the afternoon and as I was packing up my bag to leave, quickly checked my phone to find one of the most depressing messages of my life: the mother of my bestest mate in the whole world, a woman who I have known since I was 7... had passed away this morning.
Whilst she had been sick for the last few months, she was stable: until yesterday when she spiralled from 80% health to 1% in less than a day. A sudden event.
For me it's unbearable: he's in the U.K. now dealing with the emotions and there's not much I can do from abroad. Phoning won't help: it's so cold, distant and will only irritate. Flying over will just put me in the way of a stressful and busy situation. So just I do what I can, when I can... I am there for him and his sis, both of whom I consider as dear to me as my own siblings.
I sat at my work desk sobbing before pulling myself together and responding to his and his wife's messages.
The worst day in 2020 😕
All doom and gloom yesterday, I'd been in one of my moods... battling a chronic head cold, I was now on the sinus infection stage. Work was as stressful as ever, and I'd fallen down the stairs that morning with my son in my arms, badly hurt most of my body, and badly cut my hands and arms in protecting my son from the fall (he was perfectly fine!).
I was pissed off and angry at life. At some point in the day, at work, my head all fuzzy and my body aching I thought depressingly: "This life is f^^^ing pointless..."
I thought I was having the worst day of the year but as he watched his mother's health fade fast yesterday, my best mate was probably experiencing the worst day of his life.
Perspective. How rapidly the tables can turn...
A precious day in 2020 🌹
Tomorrow will be different now. Someone near and dear to my mate, his family and those closest to them, including myself, is missing from the world. A stark empty space now exists. A void never to be filled again. So tomorrow, for my mate, I will be strong, positive and optimistic.
And why not?
There is still so much to live for in this life: my mate has his wife and kid; his family. He has me too and I have him. I have my wife and kids as well.
We both have all our friends and extended families. We both still have great, highly demanding and challenging careers to bust a nut on, no matter how infuriating they can get at times.
We have our health and our ability to do anything we put our mind to. And most of all: we have our opportunities.
We have so much to live for in this life - a life that is, such is the sad reminder today, sometimes shorter than we expect... shorter than we hope for.
As I go to bed tonight and say a prayer for my mate and his family I shall focus on tomorrow and a different thought: "This life is precious: Make the most of it!"
And then after that thought... I will!
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Rest in peace Mrs L.
Rest in Peace.
🙏
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