I didn't want to hijack BigdadeeR's thread on the loss of his friend, but something was said there that is worth repeating and, maybe, discussing.

Da Gumpmeister said;
"Something I contemplate often.
IF the last person I had an interchange with, was the last person to see me alive, would they attend my funeral as a friend, or would they be glad to see me gone.
Try it. Puts a way different way of dealing with ppl, in place.
We don't get many do-overs, in life."

I think something similar on occasion. I've spent a lot of time on the road (as a sales rep, I was driving 50,000+ miles per year) and saw a number of fatal accidents. I've also known people who have died "before their time", in accidents.

A guy buys his kids a little dirt bike - takes it out for a spin when he gets it home, hits the curb at too steep an angle, the bike slides out, he hits his head on a rock and is dead - just like that.

A husband and wife meet after work to go out for an anniversary dinner. He is following her to the restaurant - driving behind her, the husband sees a semi run a red light and kill her.

Influenced by all this, every morning when I leave, at least somewhere in my mind, I am thinking it may be the last time I see my wife. I kiss her, hug her, tell her I love her, thank her for being such an awesome wife, and I promise her I will do everything I can to make sure I come home safe to her. The latter part is kind of a reminder to me, when I feel like doing something stupid on my bike, or taking an unnecessary risk, to do the smart thing, and get home in one piece.

I'm am like that with everyone I care about - mindful of our last moments together, so I don't have to regret them later.

That way of thinking also motivates me another way. Some times, we are faced with a choice to spend time with, call, or do something for someone we care about, or do something else. I saw or heard something somewhere which suggested to always choose the person we care about. Shortly after, I had a choice to blow off a day at work and spend some time with my parents, who I hadn't seen in a week or so, or to go ahead and go to work. I spent the day with my parents. Five days later, my father died. I couldn't have foreseen it, but, I was glad we had that day together.

So comment if you like - share your thoughts, or agree or disagree... but, no matter what, just a reminder from me to you to love the people you love, and let them know it every day. Don't waste your time with petty arguments or being angry over insignificant bull****. Enjoy life and the people you have in your life, while you have them.

 

Excellent post MidnitEvil....

After 25 years of marraige, my wife still tells me that she loves me and kisses me goodbye when I go to work. So a while back I asked her why still after so many years... She said that it may be the last thing she just said to me and would regret it for the rest of her life if she hadn't done it.

Has a dramatic effect on me just like you said... Makes me think before I do something stupid and come home in one piece...

 

I just lost my girlfriend, we were together over 8 years. Massive stroke, never woke up afterwards. What i'm trying to say is to tell your loved ones that you care about them and love them every day.
Here today.....gone today sometimes too.

 

I always liked the lyrics of Garth Brooks' song "If Tomorrow Never Comes". Sums this topic up pretty well.

I can't help but remember the story of Buddy Holly's plane crash when his friend and bandmate, Waylon Jennings, said he "hoped his (Buddy's) 'ol plane crashed.." and then never seen him again. That would be a hard thing to live with....

 

I totally agree with this! I have lost a couple friends over here in Iraq over the last three months, and I will tell you I ALWAYS think back to the last thing I said or did for that person! Recently one of my Soldiers was in a vehicle that was hit. He was not injured, but if he had been it would have been even harder for me because I started thinking of something I had recently said to him that was not so nice. Now I always try to think about it!! Probably makes us all better people! My $.02
True

 

My wife and I have that policy for just that reason. Especially since we both ride, you know? We never leave the house, work or whatever without a kiss and a "I love you." When we are riding together, we never leave the house, a fuel stop, etc., without doing the same.

 

THANK YOU for your time and service in the 'sandbox'. God Bless and keep you safe.



It is really hard to be 'selfish' when you are thinkin' of others.

Let them go first at the coffee machine. Gas pump. Check out line. A 'smile' with "Ga mornin' " On and on.
If I had a penny for every 'smile' I get when I do that.

But 'riches' are not always measured in dollars and cents. Sometimes it is just 'sense'. A 'sense' of humor, common 'sense', a 'sense' of belonging, a 'sense' of respect.
Does it make a diff? PT posted yesterday, 'bout a guy he saw at the gas station, I believe. He said "Morning" to the person, who scowled, and walked away. Made enough impact on Tom to post it. Ppl do notice and remember.
Ppl do not always remember what you did, but they do remember how you made them feel.

Thanx for the post, Midnite.

 

Wife and I still say I love you to each other several times every day, and especially when one of us is on the way out the door....or at a gas stop, food break, whatever. Just randomly. For all the reasons mentioned here and more. Most of the people we know think it's stupid and sappy. A lot of em (especially the women) are jealous and wish their mate would be more like that. One of the guys we know kinda snorted one day when we did that and said something like that's really lame or something to that effect....and asked why we always did that. I said "what if we pull out of here and a drunk comes around the corner and runs over her and her bike? I want the last thing anyone every said to her to be me saying I love you baby!" Since then, he always does the same with his wife. And just smiles when the next guy says something stupid about it.

 

Great post. Brought a tear to my eye reading it.

For the same reasons I try to be sure to tell my wife and kids that I love them before I head off to work or wherever. Always, regardless of whether we've been having a great day or have just been at each others throats a couple of minutes earlier.

 

WOW!
Great thread, man if you can read that without getting a little misty then you got no "soul"

In 2003 I bought a 100th Road King and the next night my dad called the house.
He told my wife that he was in the VA hospital for something minor being a Quadriplegia most of my life he often went in for bed sores etc..
i hadn't talked to him for a few weeks because you know "life got in the way" you know making a living and all that BS!
So I got on the phone and we talked about the new bike and he was all pumped on how cool it was. I told him that we were going riding together the next day and would come up to him after lunch and would try to park the bike outside he window so he could see it.
During lunch my sister called my wife and told her that he past away.
Just like that, she and her son was visiting him having lunch at the hosipital and he started choking and they couldn't revive him.
You know I almost didn't grab the phone that night because she had told him we were coming to see him (and I really don't like talking on the phone).
Man I'm glad i did!!!!
Sorry for the long post, but don't let the "What if's" haunt you for the rest of your life.
Take action now!