Cherish, cherish and cherish

Every moment is precious. I can't stress that enough to every couple, parent, sibling, friend and whoever else might listen. Bathe yourself in the small moments. Every second of it. You don't know when it could be gone. Life is a fickle mistress. Drink it all in.

The first time I sort of thought about a post like this was to give people advice. Who am I to advise anyone? I'm a 36-year old man, born into a happy home in a stable country and to comfort. I've lived a lucky life full of love and opportunity.

The thing is, I look around me and see so much of what myself and Liane had - understanding, love, gratitude, hope and dreams. I want to see those flourish while they can. I want to see my friends and family be positive, seize their lives, attack their futures, take what they want from their time here and enjoy the journey. It seems so easy to get caught up in life, in being busy, in living day to day and week to week - then a year has passed and another dream long-fingered. Soon you're too old, too tied down, too busy to follow all that desire that abounded.

"How did that happen?". 

I also see people upset with the small stuff, getting bogged down in the details and losing track of the big picture. We were like that. We fought over silly things, got upset over the irrelevant and sat angry until we couldn't remember the reason. What I'd give to take all that back. To spend more time apologising and accepting I was in the wrong. Openness. Honesty. The difficult road but the one that rewards. Push yourselves for each other. Cling to your love. Nurture it. 

I saw an interview with Ronan O'Gara recently, the ex-Muster & Ireland rugby player. He's become a coach since hanging up his boots and plies his trade in Paris at one of Europe's bigger clubs. A couple of weeks ago he announced he was moving to New Zealand to coach at one of the best teams over there. When asked why the sudden move he referred to the death of close friends of his: Ever since... it was really brought home with Paul Darbyshire and Axel. I think now, it is [living in] 'the now'. People are asking, when are you going? Everything as a result of that, I look upon it very differently, a short-term game.

Life really is a short-term game. My advice for what it is worth? Seize it. Enjoy it. Live it. Love it. 

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