Jeff’s Journal
By Jeff Whitaker
It has been over three weeks since I came home from the hospital after a bout with Covid pneumonia. In my last column I shared some lessons I’ve learned from my time in the hospital recovering. As of now, my wife and I (she also had Covid pneumonia) are still on low oxygen but each day gets better. I appreciate people who’ve reached out offering their thoughts, prayers and help as we recover. Times like these really show you the kindness of others.
In addition to the lessons I shared before, this whole experience has caused me to think harder about each of our missions on this earth. While my wife and I are well on our way to full recovery, in the past several months and even up to a few days ago we’ve watched as friends and others we know succumbed to Covid. It’s caused me to stop and ask myself a lot of questions, not the least of which is why them and not me. It’s a sobering thought. I don’t pretend to know the answer to that question. If I did, I’d be God. So, the only thing I can conclude is I will never know about others, I can only be responsible to examine my own life. If I’ve been spared, I have to conclude there is more to my purpose and mission. There is more for me to do. I’ve done a lot of thinking in that regard.
If you’re reading this column, you might ask yourself the same question. You don’t have to go through a life challenging event to do this. The fact you opened your eyes this morning is proof enough that your mission isn’t over. Take some time to think about that. This doesn’t have to be a complicated exercise. We’ve all been given gifts and talents. We all have relationships that are unique to us. The question I’m asking you is, are you making the most of what you’ve been given? I teach entire seminars on the power of our stories. Each of our stories are unique. Each of us has value. So, what about your life story can you use it to help or share with others? The fact is, nothing in life is wasted. The highlights and lowlights we experience make up who we are.
My family is a family of faith and I really believe that every once in a while God sends us wake- up calls to remind us of what’s most important in life. For us it’s our faith, our family and our purpose. It could be that this column is your wake-up call. What is your mission? What about your story can you pay forward to someone else? Take some time to think about it and then find a way to go out and make a difference. Every day is a gift. Let’s not let it slip away.
