I think I got a personal telegram from God this weekend. It read:

In the middle of the shady forest..... the moon.

“Mike, get on with it!”

The source of the reminder was a couple of phone calls. One on Saturday informed me that the husband of a new distributor in my organization had just dropped dead at the age of 53.

This morning I received a phone call from another friend confirming attendance at a major event this coming weekend and, by the way, he spent the weekend in the hospital due to a heart attack. He is 43.

OK. Got it. Message received, loud and clear:

“You don’t know how much time is left so you better get on with the ‘bucket list’ RIGHT NOW.”

But on a deeper level the message is to get on with the simple, essential, often less obvious, “A” list things as well. Here’s a short list to self:

• Call someone and tell them you love them. One of you may not be here tomorrow.
• Get on with the healing. Practice forgiveness NOW! (That includes forgiving yourself.)
• Is there something important you want to leave behind? Some work, project, message? Do it now.
• Let go of those time wasting activities that distract you. (Overused phrase, but true: “don’t major in minors.”)
• Recognize attachments that are holding you back, slowing you down, limiting your vision. Release them; they do not serve you.
• Examine your thinking. Would you be content with what is on your mind right now as your last thought? It just could be.
• Examine your actions. Ditto above.
• Consider your goals. Do they represent what really matters to you? Would it fit into your epitaph or the eulogy at your funeral?

Note To Reader: What would be on YOUR list?