Life and What It's Worth

I've been thinking about what my life is worth today. I could never put a monetary value on my life. I know I have life insurance and I hope that it helps once I'm gone, but money seems so inconsequential when I think of time.

Do you ever sit in the doctor's office and wonder if he/she knows how much you're time is worth? I do. All the time. If I have to sit for more than 20 minutes, I leave. When looking for a doctor, the first question I ask is how long I will have to sit in the waiting room. If it's less than 20 minutes, I figure that doctor values my time. I think that's a courtesy that I deserve considering that my insurance company pays that doctor lots and lots of money.

But I've been thinking more about my time on earth. My time with my family. My time with my students. My time enjoying the sunrise. Sometimes I forget how valuable MY time is. I forget that I shouldn't be wasting my time being angry or irritated or sad. I should be happy. I should soak up every second that I'm alive. Every second that I take a healthy breath.

I think of people that can't do that. My cousin, Rhonda, who died in a car accident and didn't see her daughters graduate or go on their first date. My sister, Shannon, who won't be able to be there for her son's graduation for kindergarden or her daughter's first day of junior high.

I AM ALIVE and 39! My life is not worth anything that I can imagine. It's priceless and precious. Now...if I can just remember that tomorrow...