Value Your Loved Ones Whilst They Are Still Around

I wasn't planning on doing a post today but something happened late last night that made me change my mind.

Last night I received some devastating news. My first cousin, whom I spent many summer holidays with as a child passed away at the age of 37.

Although he had suffered from epilepsy for a few years he had been generally fit and healthy.

The sad thing is that he lived alone as he was separated from his wife and young son.

As a result nobody was with him when he passed away - although we still don't know exactly what happened or how he died.

To add to the tragic circumstances he was found by his little sister.

I am still in total shock really.

I am just going through the motions of doing things as normal because it just doesn't seem real.

We get so caught up in our own issues that we lose sight of others far too easily. Once we get into our 20s it is so easy to lose track of friends and people we grew up with.

Life is busy so we keep putting things off.

We cancel or postpone meeting up because of work or other things which are not significant in the grand scheme of things.

Career, work and other considerations can wait. Life and ultimately death, do not.

We all have a set amount of time and you can't really buy more once it is too late. If you have a friend, relative or other loved one that you haven't seen in a while - remember that fact.

Once people are dead, they are gone forever and you can't get the opportunities to see them or connect with them back.

Make the most of friends and relatives while they are here so you don't have regrets when they are gone. You don't want to find out they died from a Facebook update.

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(N.B. - I was originally going to decline payout on this post but have decided that I will send the liquid payouts to an epilepsy charity, along with my own donation in my cousin's name.)