I was driving home from a magnificent Easter dinner feeling wondrous and lit up in side with sense of ever a lasting wonder.  Thinking about family, friends and the adventures/opportunities of the week to come.  A prospering book project, new collaborations, a walk about across the desert later in the week, great racing at the olympic training center on Saturday, the wonderful people I just shared an evening with…  As I decided to review a weekend’s worth of unheard messages on my speaker phone I was at once brought to halt by the very serious voice on the other end of the line.

It was the father of a young friend/client of mine.  I am all to familiar with the tone I heard in the first words  in his voice…His boy was not well.  His beautiful, brave, bright eyed boy was involved in a bizarre accident  that came very close to taking his life and scaring him permanently.

“Had it not been for the fast acting people around him, we would have lost him…” his dad said.  I pulled over, and wept before I could listen to the rest of the message.

A couple of days before, this young man and I shot a video story for a local newspaper that was interested in my teaching philosophy and this young mans athletic promise. His smile, his attitude and his innocence so big and so bright words can’t do them justice.  The thought of his pain and harm to him was too much too consider.

As I listened on, the good news was that the brave little warrior escaped permanent injury.  His recovery will be complete and just a day after his life threatening episode, from his hospital bed he was asking his dad and the doctor when he could train again.

Life is so incredibly precious friends. Your world, everything and everyone in it are temporary gifts.  The poeple, the things, the opportunity, the stress, the disappoinments, all fleeting and all there to help you learn, love and live better.

I invite you to join me today in taking nothing for granted, really nothing.  Embrace the circumstances and more importantly the people in your life completely.  All of them are there to broaden your mind and grow your heart.

Please pray for my little friend and his family and embrace your “gifts” today.

In Friendship,

Cris