Recently I had the unfortunate experience of having 3 family members rushed to the hospital in one day on unrelated problems. This wasn’t due to a car accident or any other natural disaster. Each person had their own medical problems. They were all doing fine 24-48 hours before.  In fact one was bowling just two days before she went to the hospital and now she is just fighting to stay alive.

When one person goes into the hospital it’s upsetting but you can handle it and you still think that you are invincible that it would never happen to you and you go about your business normally (maybe with just a little bit more stress) but when you have three that go in at the same time when they were just fine right before, it makes you stop and think.
You still have that feeling that wow this sucks but I’m healthy so I don’t need to change my habits and I can go about my daily life normally because this won’t happen to me.  Then someplace deep inside your mind and your soul you have your doubts that you are still invincible.  I’m going through that right now.

I know I need to change things but change is difficult. In our lives we have gotten so content on the way things are and the way we do things and after all we have been living this long so why do we need to change anything. Yes, it’s true that with the advancement of medical technology people are living longer every day but do you want to put your family through the worry and the stress of the medical problems that may arise 10 or 20 years down the road?

Even with all this talk of changing your lifestyle and habits believe it or not there is something much more important than that. That is your family.  I have always said that my family comes first.  It comes before my business and I still continue to live by that principle. In fact, just the other day I was telling a friend and colleague of mine that I want my business to be successful but I don’t want my business to be so successful that I don’t have time for my family.

My mother has told me that my life is my kids and that isn’t healthy.  Here’s the thing, my kids are only little once and if I can spend my time with my kids that’s great.  My oldest is 8 and my youngest is 5.  In 10 years my oldest will be moving out, going to college, making his own decisions and he won’t be needing his parents that much anymore.  In 10 years my daughter will be 15 and she will be into herself, her friends, and her boyfriends as she tries to find herself in this world and she will gradually no longer be needing me.  That breaks my heart but that is the cycle of being a parent.

Sure there may be some regrets but one regret that I know I will not have is not spending enough time with my children and wondering if my children know that I love them.  At this time in my life, my children are my life and I am loving every minute (well for the most part).

So before you leave this life, ask yourself a few questions.  What will I leave behind in this life?  Will it be positive or negative?  Will I regret the time I didn’t spend with my family because I was too busy?

Society puts so much emphasis on money and success and while you do need money for the basics, you can’t take that to your grave.  But you can take your memories and know that you left some kind of legacy behind.

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