A Quality Life

A dear friend of mines father died last week.

He was only seventy-three and it was very unexpected.

What he did the day before he died was very interesting to me. He spent the evening pulling out all of his old art supplies and looking through his past projects.

One of the first things my friend says she remembers knowing about her dad is that he liked to make art.

Life gets busy, and times flies around the clock. She said she had not seen his art projects in she didn't even know how long.

But isn't that fascinating that in the last few hours, he went back to the things he loved?

And how much it meant to his daughter, when she rushed back home to her mom to see all of his projects spread out on the table. To be able to take time to look through all of the beautiful things her own father had created with his hands. And reevaluate her own priorities.

She sent me a message, knowing that I love art and creation. She told me to make sure I take time to do the things that I love because one day we leave them behind.

I believe in life after death and I believe families will be reunited and have the possibility of an eternity together. Meanwhile, how amazing does it feel to have memories? To know that they were happy.

How much does it mean to my friend to have something her father made and loved?

She is a very talented painter herself. Would she have ever known that if her father hadn't encouraged her?

Who might you inspire and help on their way if you begin to make time to do the things you love to do?

Is there a skill or a talent or a love of something that you hope continues in your family? Or something you wish would spread to more people? An enjoyment of music or rock climbing? Maybe the ability to shoot a bow and arrow with your toes? The more you do yourself participate in your thing, the more likely you are to be given opportunities to pass it on.

All of us will die some day, what counts is the life we led. The memories we made. The legacy we leave behind. Kindnesses, creation and love will likely mean far more to the people we leave behind than anything else.

Let's live quality lives.