Two weeks before Christmas, I heard of a lady I know, that was diagnosed with cancer. A week later, on Christmas eve, she took a turn for the worst, was hospitalized and told she had about 3 days to live. Exactly a week later, surrounded by her family, she passed away on New Years Eve.

A week before Christmas, my closest kung fu friend was hospitalized after having a stroke. I found out that it would take her at least 2 months to recover.

This past week, two more people I know, passed away. Today, one of my closest friends had cancer removed from his face. Two days before Christmas a friend from work had cancer removed from her face as well.

I don't know what I would do if I was told that I would never leave the hospital and return home to my family. I can't even imagine being told that I have less than a week to live, especially after being so healthy up to only a couple weeks before. I sit here now thinking of all the many, many things I have to get done. As I dropped my daughter off at work, and then brought my grandson into the house, he started to point at the huge mound of snow outside and kept saying, "snow? snow?" I had introduced him to the fun one can have in the snow the day before, and he remembered. I took him into the house anyways, thinking of all the things I had to get done inside the house. As I got inside the door, I brought to mind those things that are really important. I walked back outside with my grandson and followed him around our crescent as he tromped through the snow with the biggest smile on his face. He was saying new words and phrases such as "tree", "more", and "dirty snow". He was discovering a new white world outside of the house. He learned what it feels like to be made a priority and to be loved. He learned how fun it is to be thrown in the snowbank and that it isn't the end of the world to get snow in his face. This also taught him the meaning of "cold". (He knows what "hot" is and says it well.) I got to feel my heart swell with the sound of his giggles, and feel his arms tight around my neck in appreciation, as he kissed my chin. I got to show him what it looked like and felt like to jiggle snow off the tree branches, while standing underneath. I got to let loose, be a kid again and play in the snow as well. I even managed to get some shoveling done. Most important of all, a nana and her little grandson bonded. The start of a bond that will last a lifetime.

We never know how long our lifetime, or the lifetime of those we love will be. It could be years, months or only days. Our lives could be put on hold because of an illness, or injury. There are a lot of things to do in everyday life that need to be done. I believe that we have to make time for fun, laughter, bonding and love. Every day I get older, I understand this more and more. I work to sustain life. I do things I am passionate about, I play, love, laugh and bond with others in order to live. Without those things, I'm not really living, I am simply existing. I have to take time for those things. I want to always live my life to it's very fullest. I want to always look for potential in myself, and strive to reach for it. When my time to leave my family comes, I can leave with an overflowing heart, and say, "well done".