This past weekend, Doug, Clare, and I were in NYC visiting with my cousin and his daughter, whom I had not seen in 10 years. He flew in from Utah to have some fun in the Big Apple, to see us, and to catch up—and we did exactly that. We had a blast! But I also learned a few lessons along the way.

My cousin is in unbelievable shape, yet due to his genetics, he had a heart attack in June of 2020. That changed his mindset about everything, so much so that he got a tattoo on his wrist—Carpe Diem—reminding him that life offers no guarantees. While we visited with him in all of the hustle and bustle of NYC, he exuded peace. He was in no rush. He was happy to sit and “people watch,” which can be a lot of fun in NYC. He was incredibly kind and engaging with everyone we met along the way. And he was grateful and appreciative for everything we did and everywhere we went, not only to us but in general. His gratitude and appreciation seemed to extend out to the universe. It was really beautiful to watch.

I do a lot of sprinting through life, so I needed this lesson. I certainly pack a lot into a day, way more than most, but at what cost? Carpe Diem is no good if we miss the nuances along the way like peace, kindness, gratitude, appreciation, and friendship. I wish I could share my cousin with all of you, but I can’t. He taught me way more than this in the 3 days we had together without even knowing it. So remember, life is short but that doesn’t mean we should cram more into each day. It’s about quality not quantity—THAT’S the lesson. Enjoy those you love, be kind to everyone, be grateful and appreciative, less is more, and if you have a few minutes, sit down on a bench and “people watch,” it’ll be good for your soul!

Let’s GO! WE GOT THIS!

Beth Fitzgerald