Wednesday, June 25, 2008

P4E.077 The Debt That All Men Pay

Tim Russert is dead. He died of a heart attack a week ago. Russert was the popular, tough questioning moderator of NBC's Sunday morning political show, Meet the Press and NBC News Washington bureau chief. He was the hot topic in the days following his death and is now all but forgotten in the world's fast-paced, short-lived news cycle. He's buried now, just north of Washington D.C.

I bring Russert up because of his age at the time of his death. He was 58. If I were to die at age 58 it would mean that I would have only 7 years of life left. It's a sobering thought. We really don't know when our time will come. I used to think that I had time to change. Time to process. Time to make a new start. Time to have a positive impact on my wife and children. Time to get my priorities straight. At the time of his death, I'm sure that the upcoming presidential election was foremost on Russert's mind. Now, he'll never know who the 44th President of the United States will be. And if he is somehow now able to know, I doubt that it matters to him anymore.

Russert's death has made me feel a new sense of urgency. I feel uneasy and that I don't want to have any (more) regrets when my time comes. A line from one of our favorite movies goes,

"There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as you can in the time that you have. Remember, time is short, and suddenly, you're not here any more."

So, I'm re-committing to doing and saying all the things that I would wish. To doing as much as I can in the time that I have before I make good on the debt that all men pay. Thank you and God bless you, Tim Russert!

My wife, Gwen, will read this and tell me,

"Kim, that's all fine and good, but actions speak louder than words, spoken or written. JUST DO IT!!"

I will.

Peace, Kim

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