So when I was 41 I survived a catastrophic brain stem stroke and at the time my daughter was 7 and my son was 12.
About 5 months after the stroke I had graduated from a wheelchair to a walker and at this time I was walking Kylie, my 7 year old girl to school. On this day as she held my hand on the walker she turned to me with her little girl voice and said, "Daddy, I'm sad you had a stroke but I'm happy you walk me to school everyday and you come walk me home, do you remember there were times when I got up to go to school and you already left for work and I came home and went to bed before you came home from work and this happened more than one day in a row?" Was this the legacy I was leaving for my kids? Their dad was a great worker and coach but we didn't spend a lot of time together. No, I hadn't realized that all my time was consumed by other things although I know one of the reasons I coached my kids in hockey, soccer and baseball was to force myself away from my job. I am a committed guy so whether I commit to work, school, family, exercise or whatever I am determined to follow through.
With a good work ethic we must all be careful what we apply ourselves to. Now stroke forced me to apply myself to getting better and spending time with family.
I know its cliche but we can't buy time and now I had some more that I never thought I'd have so now life has become about time and experiences with others.
Its actually hard for me to say because stroke has physically and mentally changed me but I really do live more now than I did before. Even financial challenges haven't stifled my living. My wife Jennifer has a great saying, " live a 5 star life at a 1 star price tag". It is possible with responsible spending, meaning buying things off the clearance rack before you actually need it and things like groupon, buying coupons for discount off things that we would normally pay full price for.
I contend that when we make money we spend it and when we spend so much time making it and using it, we don't always do it wisely. People charge us an extra buck or two and we pay it but now on disability pension I question every dollar, we don't let things slide like I once did when I was working.
