Friends and Bucket Lists

 

Life is short.

You would have heard this often I’m sure, and for many people hearing this does not change anything about their life or what they are going to do and achieve in their lifetime.

Recently I found my Bucket List that I wrote some years ago and read through all the things I wrote about doing in my life. Or as the movie says, things to do before you die!

The movie was on TV recently and I watched it for the first time. It was predictable, funny and thought provoking in that I stared down at my life and thought about my Bucket List afterwards, particularly in the coming days as I walked along the Yarra River and surrounding gardens taking photos on my morning walks. It was then I decided to make some changes in my life.

One of the things on my list was to spend more time with friends, so I have now added the word positive. Loving, caring, and positive friends. You know how it is; we become busy with the day to day of living our busy lives and forget to make time to spend with friends. The right friends, friends that add to my life not take away. As that is what friendships are.

Anyhoo! I decided one of my quality and exceptionally positive friends to be Peter de Groot

It is always such a pleasure to spend time with Peter. Time seems to go so quickly when We’re with people who are positive and inspirational in a way that reminds us life is meant to be lived to the fullest and memories made every day.

Some back-story to my friendship with Peter.

Peter has been a friend for many years now. We first met when we were working at Westpac, 90 Collins Street, Melbourne, and I was Peter’s manager.

Peter has always been quite a remarkable and positive person, he was the one staff member who continually wanted feedback from me so he could improve. It was the first time in my management career I had met such qualities in a staff member.

I now think of Peter as an inspiration to me on how to live life to the fullest each and every day, even if that is limited because of his health.

Now we laugh our way through lunches sharing stories of the good times and not so good times of life. Yes, we laugh about the not so good things. It’s almost a situation where the people on the next table look at us and wonder what we have and want what we have because of our laughter. Well Peter often has a giggle rather than laughter. I’m smiling thinking and writing this. 🙂

Peter walks out every day to meet at least one person face to face and I feel as though I’m the privileged one he often spends time with!

To quote one of Peter’s recent Facebook posts after lunch at the Port Melbourne Town Hall.

“Lunch at the Port Melbourne Town Hall with Matthew Guy.

My hands turned purple due to heart failure.

But it was great to be out and about.

10 days after surgery and I am on the mend.

If in September my heart function is less than 30% I will have surgery for a mechanical heart or VLAD as a precursor to a heart transplant. Current heart function is 19%.”

Peter is in his 40’s and this is his reality.

I came away from one of our recent lunches feeling happy and having enjoyed our conversation, even though some stories were about the reality of preparing for what is in store for Peter having a life that is not what he had in mind. A life filled with doctors appointments, hospital visits, planning for his future (even his funeral) rehab and not being able to drive. Oh, and often feeling exceptionally exhausted.

It is yet another reminder to live each day to the fullest, to do more of what you love, to spend more time with positive people, more time with friends and family you love, to be grateful for what you have and to keep going and keep giving to make a difference in the world no matter what.

I’m very proud to call Peter my friend and continue to spend time with him. Of course there are many other friend stories, however I trust you are inspired by this one.

From what I know it is important to:

* Laugh at yourself.

* Do more of  the things that make you happy.

* Make time to spend with family.

* Keep making time to spend with friends who are positive and who love you and care for you as you do for them.

* Smile

* Do more of the things that make your heart sing.

* Write your Bucket List and start ticking things off!

* Share more of your wisdom and stories to inspire others.

Do not wait until you know your days are numbered because of health issues to do more of what you love because you may not be able to do what it is you want to do because of physical restraints.

START doing MORE NOW is what I am really saying!!

We never know what tomorrow will bring, so please make the most of every moment. Consider how you can live your Bucket List lifestyle

Do some crazy and interesting things that you have always wanted to do.

Please leave your comments below about what you have achieved from your Bucket List, or that you are now inspired to write one.

M xx