Over the years, I've lost so many family and friends. And I couldn’t help but wonder if I have told them personally that I loved them while they were alive, or whether it was only with death that this powerful word, “love,” had been used without question or hesitation.
I vowed to myself then and there that I would never again hesitate to speak up to the people I care about and remind them of how much I appreciate them. They deserve to know they give meaning to my life. They deserve to know I think the world of them.
But this wake-up call taught me something even bigger than that. Not only did it teach me to speak up to others, it taught me to speak up to myself too, about my attitude, my self-respect, my dreams, and so forth. Because the harsh truth is, we never know. We never know when everything will change. When great opportunities will pass. When everything we take for granted will be taken away. We don’t know when later will be too late.
Don’t let this reality depress you; let it 'motivate' you. Let it push you to say what you’ve been meaning to say all along, to your family, to others and to yourself. Cherish and Treasure every moment that you have with the people you love. Sit quietly with yourself, and ask, “What will I regret never saying, to those I love, and to myself?..."