One More Thing Before You Go

All too often one day becomes very much like another. We move through our routine from waking in the morning to preparing to go the sleep in the evening (assuming you have a daytime/daylight-based life/work arrangement) and if we don’t take the time to reflect back, inspect the nuances of the day it just slips away from us. The expression ‘getting into a rut’ often fits the bill. 

So how do we break out? Oh sure, there are a ton of great articles, videos, etc. I could point you to but that defeats the purpose. 

Instead, I challenge you to start going about your day asking yourself the question, as I do X – what is one more thing before I go? Yes, that may sound confusing. Let’s try this as an example, something very mundane as brewing your first cup of coffee in the morning. Hey Jack, what is the one more thing before you have your coffee? 

So take a moment to reflect. Oh, I have fresh, clean tap water. I may even have fresh, clean tap water that runs through a reverse osmosis filter system. How does that make me feel? Over 1 billion people in the world do not have daily access to water, much less fresh and clean. Maybe I should feel blessed, thankful, perhaps lucky to be born where and when I was. 

We can apply this concept at various points in our mundane, average, in-a-rut day not so much to ‘break out’ but rather to look inward, reflect on what we have in our lives that enable us to live what is for most people (over 3B do Not Have direct Internet Access) anything but a boring, mundane, in-the-rut life.

My late father modeled this behavior for me when he was diagnosed with Cancer. Colon Cancer to be specific. When he reached the point where he decided to ‘Let it go. No more heroics, I am too old, tired, and don’t have the mental strength to keep fighting it.” I did my best to visit him at least once a week, for hours on end. And often two or three times especially if we needed to go visit the VA Hospital in Long Beach. Truly Wonderful, caring people! 

When I would get ready to leave, he would often say to me: one more thing before you go. Which often meant there was a small project, bill, note, etc. he wanted me to help with. But no matter what it was he would say – ‘and I want you to know how much I appreciate your visit today. It means the world to me. Always take time to think about your one more thing with your family and friends.’

So I encourage you to follow my father’s wise advice, think of your one more thing, before you, your friend, or loved one goes.

One closing note, I am riding the RAAM2CC with the goal of raising $50,000 for the City of Hope. To support their excellent research on innovative cancer treatment, cures, and accelerate their ability to move these discoveries from lab to practice. In addition, to assist their wonderful staff who provide care, training, encouragement, and much needed support for family and friends of those dealing with cancer. I wish I had access to City of Hope when I was dealing with my parents.