Today, it is cold and rainy here in Tokyo. Most people would say the weather is terrible. Not me. I like this weather. The rain makes the air smell so clean and fresh!
Yesterday, I met a young woman who had just defeated cancer and returned to work. She was beaming!
Even though she wore a cap to cover her head, probably because she had lost all her hair due to chemotherapy, she was so happy to be back at work. When I met her for the first time, she was incredibly enthusiastic, like a sixteen-year-old, and just so happy to be there.
I said to her,
"So, are you happy to be back?"
She replied, "Oh you don't know the least of it, Mr. Rogers. I am just so happy to be back here. Some of my friends said to me, 'Why do you want to go back to work?' But I am just so happy and thankful to be here. What I went through was a massive shock."
I smiled at her and said, "Oh, I know exactly what you mean. It is wonderful just to wake up every morning and see the sun or the rain. It is wonderful just to be able to walk the streets and go about your business. Just being here is so wonderful."
"Oh? She replied, "You've had health problems too, Mr. Rogers?"
I smiled.
"People just don't know how well they have it. There are people who say they are afraid of dying but they get bored and don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."
We both laughed. I continued,
"It's wonderful to just be here and to be wanted and to have a job and health. More people need to realize that."
"That's absolutely correct. Just being here is an incredible gift!" She replied.
Since she had cancer and the scare of her life and a brush with death, I know, because of that, she knows exactly what I mean. She knows I know, too. There is a sort of brotherhood to people who have this sort of shared experience.
Sometimes I meet people who tell me that they work constantly and never have the time to spend with their families. I think that is sad. Of course work is important, but don't lose sight of why you work.
It's wonderful to be alive today. Don't you think so?
Tell your family that you love them and, when you walk out the door, smell the fresh air and see something new. Be positive. It is great to be here.
Note: Most Men Die With Regrets
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