My family got an
abrupt wake up call over the Christmas Holidays.
My brother, Jim,
just four years older than me, is an active guy. He owns an RV park and he and
his son-in-law do most, if not all, of the work. In addition, Jim keeps track
of his steps, averaging about 17,000 to 18,000 steps a day.
He and his wife
were in San Diego with his family and he and Laurie, his wife, wanted to take
his grand kids and their own kids to Disneyland. A family Christmas Holiday. He
and Laurie’s gift.
Jim was taking a
walk and he noticed that his back was hurting. Annoying to say the least, was
that fact that as he walked, he noticed that his shoulders rose to an
uncomfortable position. He would stop out of discomfort, not because he was out
of breath. Because he was in so much pain, he decided that on the eve of his
excursion to Disneyland, he asked Laurie to take him to the hospital so he
could see what was wrong with his back and what was up with his shoulders.
Jim was admitted
on the spot, much to his surprise and not understanding why for just a back
ache. Long story short, Jim had at least one heart “episode” and was about to
have another. The doctor told him that if he had gone to Disneyland with his
family as he had planned and had not gone to the hospital, the chances were
better than average that he would have suffered a massive heart attack and Jim
wouldn’t be with us.
Sobering, and as
I said, an abrupt wake up call.
He’s doing fine
and to be honest, Jim is a fighter and if anything, resilient and persistent.
So, a quadruple bypass later, he’s out of the hospital and doing well.
That’s the good
news . . . for him, and for our family, especially his.
Why do I bring
this up?
In my writing, I’ve
always asked us to consider others. To be kind. To be compassionate. To be
gentle. To care. To extend ourselves above and beyond ourselves. And I get
enough feedback to hear and to witness you doing just that. I think caring for
others helps not only the “other” but it helps us as well.
But I think we
can . . . and should . . . do more . . . For Yourself. For You!
You see, if we
don’t stop to do some good for us as individuals, I don’t think we can
adequately do as much good for others. Yes, helping and doing good for others
does help us, but I think we need to go beyond that.
So I ask you
this day, what are you doing For Yourself? What is your passion? What is it
that you desire the most and because of time, or effort, or whatever the excuse
is at this moment, what are you putting off?
We need to take
care of ourselves. We need to make sure we are in the best possible place to
help and to care and to go above and beyond. We need to be kind to ourselves,
too. As selfish as that sounds, we . . . you and I . . . need to do For
Yourself, too. Not exclusively, but making sure you get what you deserve, too.
There is a lot
to do out there.
Hike. Read.
Write. Sing. Listen to music. Be in and with the moment when you are with your
loved ones . . . or just by yourself.
Take care of and
listen to your body. Be in tune with yourself, with nature, because I believe
your “gut doesn’t lie.” It never does. A professor once told me to “Go with
your gut! If you have a hunch, bet a bunch, because your gut doesn’t lie.” And
neither does your heart. I do care about each of you, I really do. I want you
to be around a long time. I mean that. So please do For Yourself. It will
always help you to keep doing good for others. I promise. I have that hunch,
and I’ve already bet a bunch. Something to think about . . .
For My Readers:
Please feel free
to connect with me at:
Twitter
at @jrlewisauthor
Facebook
at: https://www.facebook.com/Joseph.Lewis.Author
If you like Thriller/Mystery fiction, check out
what other readers have said about my novels.
Stolen Lives, Book One of the Lives Trilogy
“Joseph Lewis
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Two thirteen
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dead! They have no leads, no clues, and nothing to go on. And the possibility
exists that one of his team members might be involved. http://bit.ly/Stolen-Lives-JLewis
Shattered Lives, Book Two of the Lives Trilogy
“I couldn’t put
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book is excellent. The whole series is definitely worth your time.” “Expertly
written. I ended up buying all the books in the series and am waiting eagerly
for the final installment Splintered
Lives."
Six men escaped
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and so are their families, but they don’t know it. The FBI has no clues, no
leads, and nothing to go on and because of that, cannot protect them. http://bit.ly/Shattered-Lives-J-Lewis
Splintered Lives, Book Three of the Lives Trilogy
“Engaging
characters you care about. A story that is fast-paced and holds your attention
to the point you cannot put it down. Great finish to a great series.”
A 14 year old
boy has a price on his head, but he and his family don’t know it. Their family
vacation turns into a trip to hell. Out gunned and outnumbered, can this boy
protect his father and brothers? Without knowing who these men are? Or how many
there are? Or when they might come for him? http://bit.ly/Splintered-Lives-J-Lewis
Taking Lives, Prequel to the Lives Trilogy – only
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“Great book by
Joseph Lewis. Many twists and turns. Fasted paced.” “Couldn’t put the book down.” “Great story can't wait to read the next
one!” “Great book! I really enjoyed it. Good author!” “Each character is
developed thoroughly, igniting the reader's interest and stirring emotions. The
frustration of the detective flows to the reader. The young boys are
endearing.”
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Thank you for your comment. I welcome your thought. Joe