Death of a Colleague

A SCORE colleague died last week from a sudden heart attack. He was near 80 and had not had previous cardiac issues. His death was a surprise and shock to many.

This has led to self-questioning on health, life/work balance, and a host of other what ifs. As we age, we meet the alternative, not aging. It is a fact of life and to be expected. In whatever form it takes. That is the way it is and always has been.

But one day this event in another’s life changes the way we look at life itself. Some will slip into depression; others will rekindle resolve to work toward goals worthy of the effort. That is what time is for, right? We can either live it in self enjoyment or serving others. Or both.

Rather than mourn the death of a friend or colleague, we should celebrate the life he/she led and the good they did. It is the life story that should be remembered, not the death.  One is a fact of life. The other is a wondrous machination of effort, thought and talent. It is a journey made by many and has consequences far in excess of the one person.

What we do, what we accomplish, is our story. Best we make it a good one worth the effort. That is the measure of a person’s life. Not the missing. The remembering of the good.

November 18, 2022

 

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