Wow! I’m feeling pretty emotional. Odd. Strange. Shaken Up. Completely unexpected blog this morning, in fact 15 minutes ago I already had my day planned out, but then… I literally just heard a  story and it’s completely shaken me up. As I sat down to eat my breakfast I decided to start listening to a new audiobook. The book I chose is called ‘Black Box Thinking’. It kicks of with a heartfelt story of a healthy young lady (37 years old, husband and two children) who’s about to have a routine operation on her sinuses.

Just prior to the operation the husband kisses his wife, and the children give their mum a big hug, both are expecting to see her in a couple of hrs. They pop to the shop to pick up some cookies for when she wakes from the operation, however she never wakes up again. There were complications with the anaesthetic and both doctors, and nurses failed to keep her alive.

A husband became widower. Two children now motherless.

This story has struck a heartfelt cord with me and it’s completely changed how i’m feeling right now. I can relate to this particularly because I’ve had many operations on my sinuses. It’s made me realise how extremely fortunate I am to be able to type this sentence and live to see another day. It’s so difficult to think that as I write this post – there is a widower and two children living without their mother.

How long do each of us have on this planet? Nobody knows. It’s just so easy to take life for granted. We dice with death on a daily basis as we enter our cars, and cross the road. We expect to live a full life and die peacefully at a ripe old age. The harsh reality is that the Grim Reaper could rear his ugly head at any moment (regardless of health & age) and take away our last breath, not only vanishing our souls from earth but leaving our families in a devastating pool of emotional turmoil. We also never know when our last interaction with a loved one will occur. We expect to see our spouse come home from work, our kids return from school, to see our Dad on Fathers day – but what if that moment never occurs again?

Nobody expected the young mother to never wake up. It’s not fair, how can a healthy young lady just die like that? how can this happen to a family? And you know what this is just one of many devastating stories that has/is happening as I write this piece.

As I listened intently to the audiobook, a tsunami wave of emotions came crashing down on me, an unforgiving thunderstorm, evoking unpleasant feelings. My brain projected thoughts, and worries about how that could have easily been me. How devastating that would be for my family. It also got me thinking about how i’d feel if that happened to somebody I love: my partner, dad, mum, sister, gran, auntie, uncle, a friend. It would knock me for six and life would never be the same again.

After some deep reflections I’ve decided to use this story in a positive manor. Today is special, right now i’m lucky, to my knowledge nearly all of those I love are gracing planet earth, alive, well and breathing. I plan on appreciating every moment of today. Day to day stresses will not penetrate my armour, every other worry will evaporate into insignificance.

Today I’m feeling lucky to be alive aren’t you?

👱💪 Nick