We've all heard it, how short life is and to live life to the fullest because we never know how long we will be here or how long our loved ones will be here. I believe that we all say this so much and still don't really live up to it. I have heard this over and over all my life, but we all get so caught in our our own lives, our jobs, our bills, our responsibility that we don't really live up to this "Life is Short, Live Full" theory. Recently I've been looking back at all my experiences I have seen and been through since I've been working in a hospital and also events I have witnessed through out my life thus far.
I talk to a boy recently in the hospital, I asked him what happened to his mom. He says very nonchalantly "my dad was a jerk and twisted her arm and broke it, he was throwing stuff everywhere." "My mom had a knife to and was going to cut his toe off". He didn't seem effected by this at all, like it was no big deal, what kind of life is this kid going to live?
People who refuse to stop smoking and the effect it has on their family and kids, their kids are now more likely to become smokers. I seen many car accidents due to people not paying attention, they look down for a brief moment, speeding, drinking! I x-rayed a 5 yr old. He got hit by a car going only 25mph. Snapped both his femur in two. Tough kid, he was doing better then most adults. How is this going to effect his family, his life, his future? No walking for a long time. Rehab for a long time, will his legs every be the same? How far behind in school will he now be? Poor innocent boy. Should the parents been more carefully, taught him not to go in the street, was it the drivers fault, where were the parents??
I've seen a man brought in, they were giving him CPR, it wasn't working, it was 3 days before Christmas. He looked unhealthy, over weight, it was probably his heart. His wife screaming his name, telling him "please not on Christmas!", I think of the gifts his family had already under the tree for him, what will they do with them. Christmas will never be the same for this family. Why? because he didn't take good care of himself.
I've seen preteens, teens, adults, over dose. They are unconscious and we, the hospital employees, see the torn up family crying for their loved ones, worried. How selfish of this person to be so ignorant as to not know or care how this effects others. Could this have been avoided, was it the way they were brought up or just something that happened.
A man passed a way because he didn't take care of his diabetes. He had many kids, most in their teens some a little older. They called the time of death and let the family come in to say good byes, everyone in tears including hospital workers. The family stood there praying around him and talking to him until they all starting screaming to him to come back, the heart monitor flickered, but as soon as they stopped yelling, it flat lined again. They couldn't yell forever. He was gone, such a young man. Why, because he didn't take care of his diabetes. How sad for his young wife, young children and someday grandchildren who will never know him.
There's been ATV accidents where people will never be the same, Skateboard accidents, sports, work accidents (roofing, cleaning guns, table and chain saws, nail guns) careless accidents that can be avoided. I've seen young friend's lives taken in car accidents while driving roads they have driven a million times. Could this have been avoided. Could this have been ME driving home on the road I always drive? Could this have been YOU, your mom, your sister, your husband??
I've seen a young kid in the hospital, early 20's who was shot in the back of his head by a friend he was out drinking with. He shot him after an arguement, some kind of friend. Missed his spinal cord but about half an inch. Lucky kid.
I've seen older people who want to deny getting old, they have to much pride. They try to do something on their own, they fall, break a hip. Now they are more depend on other people more they ever, because they were to proud to ask for help. Now they are miserable and can't do the things they want to do with they family, friends, kids, grandkids.
I believe everything happens for a reason, but at the same time we all have choices. Put yourself in all of these people's and their family's positions. We CHOOSE to speed through the residential area where kids play, we CHOOSE to not pay attention as well as we know we should while driving, we CHOOSE not to be healthy, we CHOOSE to drink to much, we CHOOSE to take short cuts that are more dangerous, that either put others or yourself in danger, whether it be not taking the time out to look both ways, or not taking the time out to make sure your healthy. We CHOOSE to be lazy. We CHOOSE to not pay as close attention to our kids as we should. We CHOOSE to be in relationships with people who are not good for us.
A lot of these can be avoided. I'm constantly remembering all these people I have come across and remembering that everything we do effects the people around us. Of course some of these things can't be avoided. Dying cancer patients come in with their loved one. We can't change these things, and some accidents are unavoidable. So this should just inspire us even more to be close to the ones we love, because we never know how long they or ourselves will be around.
I'm terrified of what could happen to me or people around me. I'm terrified for my futured children, will I make the right decisions, will they be that child in the road when the car comes. Will they be influenced to drink to much and drive, will they be diagnosed with some terrible disease. Will they be that woman who was just hit by her husband in front of her kids. Will they be the kid holding the gun that shot or the kid that got shot by his friend. How can I make sure nothing bad happens to the people I love. Well I guess the answer is, I can't. All we can do is be the best people we can be and show others and our children the same. Take care of ourselves and our loved ones now, not tomorrow.
