Before I was 15, both my parents had passed away. My father's passing was the worst, because as a teenager if you're asked to go and wake someone up, you're not expecting to find them dead. But it happened and I dealt with it. I wasn't given the choice.
Life isn't meant to be easy, it isn't always fair and quite often it seems like there isn't a reason to get your arse out of bed and actually do something. The amazing thing that I have learnt, from the particularly rotten events that I have experienced over last six months is, that if I choose, I can find a positive in that really rotten situation. Having said this, the rotten situation has not gone away, but I have been able to deal with it.
For those of you who don't know me you're probably wondering what my rotten situation is. Well, one of my two best friends was diagnosed with terminal melanoma. He was three years older than I and spent the last four months of his life in constant and eventually excruciating pain. What was worse was I could do nothing to stop it. Even amongst this time I was able to learn several positive things:
- Friends count, you chose them, so choose to make time for them.
- I was reminded that my friend was extremely generous with his time and incredibly patient, even with those who irritated him. I too would like to be like this.
- Evaluate what you're doing. If it makes you happy, without hurting others do it. If it stresses you, think about whether you should be doing something else.
- Not everyone has walked in your shoes, accept them as they are.
- Forgive not only others, but yourself.
- Tell your loved ones that you love them. You don't know if it going to be your last opportunity.
- Take each day as it happens, you can't change the past, but only influence the future by what you decide now.
- I have many blessings I take for granted, even if those blessings aren't the ones I wished or asked for.
- I am NOT the centre of the world, therefore it will keep spinning even when i think it has stopped.
