Today I want to honour the people who have shaped and influenced my life in a positive way. Every now and again I am struck by the importance of letting people know how grateful you are for them.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we forget to tell them how much they mean to us.
I have been blessed with amazing friends and acquaintances.They are people who believe in me when I don’t have the strength to believe in myself. They are people I learn from and after whom I try to model my own life. They are people with integrity and strength of character who have shown me what we are meant to be.
They come from all walks of life and backgrounds, religious beliefs and races but they all have one thing in common. They have changed my life for the better.
There are people with whom I have lost contact and there are those that I connect with often. Some of these precious people have made me laugh. Others have made me cry or even made me angry but they have all made me think about life. They have challenged my mindsets and broadened my life experience.
I have learnt in life that being religious doesn’t mean you have integrity. Regarding Christianity, being “saved” doesn’t equal having character and I believe it is the same for other religions too.
True friendship and loyalty is so hard to find these days and I am sure we have all been disappointed in a friendship or relationship held dear.
But for every bad experience, I have had at least ten good ones and it is these experiences that give me hope and help me keep the faith.
From my former, teachers, certain colleagues I have worked with and even a former psychologist, to my closest friends, I cannot imagine my life’s journey without them.
When my mom passed away I was left with so much regret. I still sometimes think about all the times I could have visited and the times I should have told her I loved her but I stayed away and kept quiet because she was a difficult person. I was so busy living my own life that I missed out and only realised it when it was too late.
Earlier this year, a friend of mine passed away after a long fight against cancer. A month or so before, I made a decision to visit her once a week. It was heartbreaking to see her suffering but I laid aside my emotions. I made sure that she knew I loved and appreciated her and when she finally passed away, I had no regrets unlike the guilt I experienced when my mom died.
Life has taught me to make the most of every opportunity I get. I want to challenge you today to do the same. Let the people in your life know how much they mean to you while you have the chance.
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