There seems to be something in the water -

I have heard from about 8 people, both close to me and those more distant, this passed couple of weeks all with “Family Emergencies”.

Whether they have been illnesses, somebody passing away or funerals, I can only hope those friends and acquaintences had the time to share a full life with their loved ones. These are all desperately sad encounters and they got me thinking.

More often than not we are consumed by what we believe to be important to us on a daily basis, that list of things to do etc. However the more I sit and liten in on conversations and the more I generally hear around and about are those realising that the more important things in life are being left behind.

I read recently that it all comes down to love. Yep it’s a big word and will turn many of you off straight away however, the things that really matter to you are based solely on love.

Why do we get so consumed by the daily buzz and gossip? What is it that compels us to get so caught up in it all?

I’m not about to answer these questions but is this really what our lives are coming to?

I watched this amazing documentary about the pilot who landed on the Hudson River earlier this year. What a great story. The interviews with the survivors really struck a chord.

Each of them not only were faced with the emergency landing and whether they were going to survive the impact, but also the potential of the plane sinking in the freezing river.

This is an extraordinary example and the ways these survivors live their lives now has changed remarkably.

When faced with adversity we decide then and there to do things differently; to make changes, we decide to live our lives differently and make those loved ones, the things that truly matter, our priority.

What amazes me is how we sit and wait for these events to happen in order for us to change the way we live our lives. Why watch the world pass us by? Jump in and get involved with it all.

A great businessman and mentor of mine advises us all to

“Live Deliberately”

Live as if every day counts and that we matter.

These sad and painful events I have been hearing about just tells me that life is so fragile and yet we take it too much for granted.

My husband Alan recently met a great guy called Scott. The two of them have so much in common and wish only the best for others in life. On Saturday Alan was told that his new friend passed away, early 40s with two young kids, from a stroke – his funeral is today.

Please, for both your sake and mine, don’t just assume those around you know they are important to you, tell them, make them feel special.

Re-assess where you are going and if this is really the path you want to be taking.

“You may spend all of your life climbing the corporate ladder only to realise when you get to the top you find it leaning against the wrong wall.”

Each day is a gift. Use them wisely.