Death Comes Calling 

It started out like any other day,check e-mail, LinkedIn, and my Facebook page. That's when it happened in that short time span I learned that two people I know were dead.

I opened up my e-mail and learned that Susan Jeffers, author of "Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway" had died. I wasn't even aware that she had been sick. It shocked me, as she sent her newsletters as usual and didn't let us know of her illness. 

That book "Feel The Fear and Do it Anyway" helped me to take many leaps of faith to try careers that previously I might not have attempted. 

As she shared her experiences in the book of taking her leaps of faith, it gave me strength to try that myself. Now she's gone but she will always be special to me. 

I surfed over to my Facebook page and learned that one of my favorite people in the world was dead. At first I didn't believe it. I looked all over to determine if this was one of those made up Internet stories. It was not. He was really gone.

Steve star, a celebrity photographer in Chicago, had gone out to lunch with friends and then as he stepped out on the sidewalk in front of the Drake Hotel he turned and said "I'm not feeling well."

Then he fell to the sidewalk and he was gone. Just like that. He wasn't sick he showed no signs of any illness. He was just gone. I know that Steve is in heaven if only for the heavenly shots he took of everyone he met.  He was truly gifted and I loved him.

  

Death comes to us all. It's a part of living. Sometimes it comes when you least expect it.

So I make this post after Thanksgiving as an entreaty to you. Live your life as if it were your last day. Tell people you love them. Give and accept hugs and kisses. 

Give thanks in gratitude daily, as you never know when your time has come.  

Steve had an event scheduled for 12/12/12.  Now instead of cancelling it, we will use it as a celebration of his life.

Your comments are welcome as always.

UPDATE:  As I sent this message I jumped to Facebook to post it and found a post from my son.  It said "Count your blessings and be thankful. A guy dropped dead of a heart attack today."