Cathy,

I so enjoyed your post! I used to work, work, work my life away. I was driven to succeed feeling as though I was making it up for the years wasted in my youth. When my mother was terminally ill things changed. I have found consulting projects that have carried me but I just can't get excited about the daily grind with all the nights and weekends working on projects that are created by those who don't plan as well and conjure up spur of the moment scenarios just to feel valuable.

Then when I got cancer and realized I have been spending weeks on the road, even though I managed 3-4 day work weeks, life seemed to steer me towards being home with the family at night. I have two boys, 13 & 15, and they have lived across the country from each other for 3 years. They both live with me and my wife now and partly because I requested this from their birth mom, not knowing how long this would go on and wondering if it could be our last year or two together.

Indeed, every day is a gift and I would not change anything in my 48 years (and 24 days)! Thanks for the great reminder.

Ed