Last week, I didn’t totally believe my friend when he said he was sick and then he got REALLY sick and now I FEEL AWFUL!
It’s just that I was busy with my own stuff and the thing is…he was supposed to come over to help me with something and I got the “I’m not feeling well” text and I was all, “Don’t do this to me” and he was all, “Seriously I feel like shit” and I said, “See how you feel in an hour”…and that’s when things got busy and I never really thought about it again.
Then, about one thirty in the morning, when I was finally going to bed after an amazing night with friends…as I was drifting off to sleep…I had one of those incredibly crazy sixth sense things that are somewhere between a dream but more like you’re thinking…
And maybe it was because he hadn’t contacted to let me know that he was still feeling like crap or maybe I was feeling guilty for being a little ticked off that he’d backed out on our plans but regardless of what brought it on…I got to thinking.
Half dreaming.
Where I was in this church I’d never been in before. I was horribly upset. Inconsolable. No one knew me and everyone was staring at me like I didn’t belong but we were all there for the same reason. And I kind of woke up…if I was even asleep…and was full of goosebumps, panic and guilt so I sent a quick upbeat message telling him the night turned out pretty great and asking how he was feeling.
I’d hoped it would settle my head down…which it did…and I went back to slumber. Yet, it really didn’t surprise me in the morning when I got his reply telling me he was in the hospital…waiting on tests.
‘Cause somehow I knew.
And it also didn’t surprise me later when I got his drugged up message that sort of accused me of “not believing him” the night before…
‘Cause I kind of didn’t.
Then it totally freaked me out when a few hours later, I got his message telling me he was going into emergency surgery and I couldn’t for the life of me yell “NO DON’T DO IT I HAD THIS FREAKY DREAM LAST NIGHT” because the fact of the matter was…he needed the surgery and I had to trust that my ridiculous dream was only a dream and me feeling guilty for how I’d reacted not some premonition for what was ahead…
But I was suddenly more terrified than I’ve been in a very long time.
Until a few hours later…I received the one word text when he came out of surgery that simply said “Alive.”
The thing is…I think we all have this sixth sense when it comes to people we’re connected with and sometimes…we have to stop being so wrapped up in our own lives that we miss the cues that are right in front of us until all of a sudden…there’s a risk of it going away.
It’s not just the life and death moments…it’s all of the little things we take for granted. It’s spending time with people you love and connecting with those you haven’t seen in a while. It’s making the most of every single day, taking time to sit with a friend for a long overdue chat, recognizing a beautiful day and getting out to enjoy it, looking in your child’s eyes and having a conversation with them…really listening to them. It’s all of the moments that are suddenly before us that we’re too busy to take advantage of but if we’re too busy being busy…then what on earth are we here for?
I could take a lesson from my father. Years ago, running a company and up to his ears all of the time with work and family…I’d place a phone call to his office and ask “Are you busy?”…to which he’d always respond, “Never too busy for you.”
Life can change in a second.
I have this sixth sense that usually freaks me out. It appears from time to time leaving me a little breathless and guessing what’s next…throwing me off my game and totally unnerving me. Sometimes, what I think…comes true. Other times, it just makes me aware…of everything I treasure.
I believe we all have it…if we’d only take the time to listen.
So we can enjoy each moment…before those moment’s disappear.