Decide Your…

The second I walked into the hospital room, Jaime, my great-grandfather’s brother, greeted me with bright blue eyes that I instantly knew belonged to a man with a beautiful soul. He then grabbed my hand with the last bit of energy he had and flashed a genuine smile, as if we were life long friends. Before this, the last time I saw Jaime and his wife was when I five years old, so my memory of them was faint. That being said, his wife Beatriz, also greeted me with an unforgettable energy. What a beautiful couple, I thought to myself.

A few days later we found ourselves gathered together again, only this time, in a funeral home; unfortunately, Jaime passed away. This was the first funeral I attended and I was not sure what to expect. The room where the funeral service was held was filled with around 50 people all who traveled across the country, even the world, to attend. It was amazing to see how loved Jaime was. My father informed me that amongst the crowd of attendees were Jaime’s friends from high school. A group of over 9 friends from a high school in Colombia managed to stay in contact throughout their whole lives; amazing, but unfortunately a rare scenario now-a-days.

In televisions surrounding the room, a montage of photographs was displayed. The way Jaime and Beatriz would look at each other in the picture slideshow really impacted me. Being married for 30 years, their wedding pictures and photographs with their children reflected the undeniable chemistry these two shared. Beatriz had the same glare in her eye at the hospital a few days ago.

After reflecting on this day at the funeral, I felt the need to share a reminder with whoever is reading this. Life flashes before your eyes; one day you’re 16 in a tree-house with your best friends and the next you wake up two years closer to graduating college (still unbelievable). Would you not want to live a life surrounded by people who sincerely love you?  My advice to you is to stop taking life so seriously. Appreciate the people in your life. Call your parents, they’ve only dedicated everyday of their lives since you’ve been born for you. Reach out to old friends; with today’s technological advances, we have no excuse to lose contact. Laugh, fall in love, travel, and learn a new language–experience. To live is to explore situations you have never been exposed to before.

When was the last time you made a new friend? There are 7.4 billion people on this planet. I don’t understand why people are so bitter towards strangers they have never met. The other day I met a unique individual. My friends were hesitant to speak to him as he randomly approached our group at a drum circle by himself. It was odd, as people don’t often do that, but I welcomed him and initiated conversation. He turned out to be an artist and showed me some pictures of his work. He also shared his astrological knowledge on what was occurring with the moon that night, but I won’t get into that. What a fascinating person. These are the type of people everyone remembers. Go meet people and share your story. Hear other’s stories. Every single person has something to share. Every single one of these people has a past, dreams, and opinions. What are you waiting for? Go hear them. These views on life will not be the same as yours, as we are all different, but that’s the beauty of it. I call them, characters. We are all characters and we all have something to offer this world. We play a role more significant than we recognize. Unfortunately, the human race has developed into a consumerist culture. The Rolex on someone’s wrist is being valued much higher than a relationship. The change starts with you. Go and value people.

I honor Jaime Verano for having over 50 people at his funeral. The moment I met him at the hospital I understood why my dad was so fond of him; he was sincerely interested in everyone he met. He treated them as if he had known them for years, with respect and love. Maybe if everyone portrayed these qualities the world would overall be a better place.  Perhaps then, everyone would have over 50 people attend their funeral. We are here, on this world, to evolve. Life is a beautiful opportunity we have been given. Honor it and honor the ones sharing it with you. From the stranger who worked the register at your local market and made you smile from how positive she was at 8 in the morning. To that lovely someone who cut you off on the road, portray unconditional positive regard. Leave an impact that will hopefully have someone saying what I had to say about Jaime (after only knowing him for an hour), about you. Live your life demonstrating compassion.

MGS Counseling & Therapy Services, LLC is a South Florida private practice. Mrs. Wilson works with mothers dealing with postpartum and fathers who have difficulty with transitional changes after a new child. In addition Mrs. Wilson works with individuals, couples and families to find their inner strength and resolve interpersonal and relational conflicts. To schedule an appointment with Mrs. Wilson call (754) 999-0410 or contact by email at info@mgscounseling.com

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