The other day the guy getting on the bus ahead of me was a quarter short because the fare had gone up.
A quarter for him made all the difference for that day.
A quarter for me was what I’d found on the sidewalk the day before.
So I put a quarter in.
And made his day.
Made mine, too.
===
And it got me thinking, later…
I didn’t have to do anything grand – I just had to do *something* – and often, we have the grandest intentions, the grandest hopes, the grandest dreams. We’ll go for the best vacation, the best night out, the best…
… whatever.
Folks, today’s all you’ve got.
I can tell you from some pretty deep personal experience that we’re not guaranteed tomorrow.
Heck, we’re not guaranteed our next breath, so do what you can for and with your family, whether they be family by blood or by choice… Doesn’t matter.
And gosh, if it means you don’t do the grandest vacation but spend an evening playing board games with your kids, do that.
If it means having macaroni and cheese and hot dogs, but having it with your family around the dinner table, then do that.
And do it today.
Not “someday” –
Because “Someday” isn’t a day you’ll find on the calendar…
Because “Someday” isn’t a day of the week…
And because “Someday” never comes.
==
and… a side note.
I’m writing this for some rather personal reasons. I’ve been to a few more funerals recently than I really want to go to. I’m going to one in two days where the promise of “Getting together someday” was said back in January of this year, and that’s a Someday I’ll never get back.
When you go to things like this, you realize that there was a last hug that you didn’t notice. There was a last glance you didn’t catch, and maybe, just maybe, there was a final goodbye that slipped past you.
And when you notice that that happened, it hurts, and you can’t go back to fix it.
So…
I’m not writing this stuff because I know how to do it better. I’m often writing this stuff simply because I’ve made the mistake, whatever it is, and hope that in seeing my mistake, written the way that I’ve written it, encourages you to go out and not make that same mistake.
So go out there and don’t let the moment slip by.
Go do something for someone and make their day, even if it’s by doing something as simple slipping a quarter you found into the bus fare box for them.
Take care out there.
8 comments
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November 16, 2012 at 6:08 am
John Lammers
Spot on Tom. My neighbor just up and died on us. Take nothing for granted. The older we get the more we see the fragility of life. So put a smile on your face and go make someone’s day. J Lammers Redmond Or.
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November 16, 2012 at 8:15 am
tomroush
Hey John, Thanks for writing – As you can imagine, these stories are true, and written from sometimes hard personal experience.
Glad your eyes are open. For me, today, I’m going to go kiss my wife goodbye as I head into work, and do my best while I’m there.
Take care,
Tom
PS: Would you happen to be related to Bob Lammers?
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November 17, 2012 at 5:58 am
John Lammers
That Bob Lammers guy is my favorite brother.
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November 17, 2012 at 8:12 am
tomroush
That’s cool. Always good to have a favorite brother. 🙂
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November 16, 2012 at 11:30 am
Monika Wadsworth
i know exactly what you mean. I just lost my dad last august and i would give anything to see him just one more time. I kept saying i come and see you in a few month and I come to regret that I didn’t get my passport done in time to actually go. I made it in time for the funeral and was told that he kept asking for me. That is a very hard thing to deal with not only the regret but also the guilt. Thank you for the reminder to not procrastinate on important things like seeing family and friends and letting them know that they are loved.
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November 16, 2012 at 4:55 pm
tomroush
“Just one more time” –
Can’t tell you how often I’ve heard and felt that, and am trying to learn to balance living life and preparing for the future while actually living life in the here and now, because the future is always that ever present, yet unattainable “someday” and the past can be filled with “if only’s” – The present is all we have.
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November 28, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Ralph Congdon
Tom is my favorite “unrelated” Brother.
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November 28, 2012 at 9:23 pm
tomroush
and the feeling is very mutual. 🙂
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