Brushed with death, twice!

 I would like to share with you what happened to me the last month,.I've been brushed with death twice.
First, I was out riding my motorcycle with a friend, he rode his bike. On a long straight an oncoming car suddenly turn left in front of us. My friend slammed into the side of the car  I didn't have any time to react, didn't even touch my breaks. I passed at the front of the car with about 10-15 cm(4-6") to spare...   We had an guardian angle looking out for us. My friend "only" broke both his wrists severely and couple of fingers. Additionally, he  banged up is right shoulder. It could have ended much worse for both of us.
Second, after my years in Canada I'm not in contact with many people. I've kept in contact with a friend, we usually speak 2-3 times a year and exchange emails. When I talked to him in August he said he had some stomach problems, and the doctors was checking him out. I tried to call him during the Christmas holidays but couldn't get hold of him. In February his sister sent me an message (from his cell) and I called her back asap. My friend passed away in colon cancer December 17, 53 year old. For some reason he didn't tell me the seriousness of his illness. His sister said he didn't like to tell anyone. By the time I talked to him in the summer she said he already had been diagnosed and it had spread to the liver. I wished he had told me so we could have met a last time and said goodbye.
He was a bachelor, worked hard at his two businesses with little time off. Fort the last fives years he talked about selling and to do something else and travel; visit me, hike in the Pyrenees, and travel around Europe. Always something came up and he didn't execute his plans... And now he's dead and buried...at age 53...
These two events (for lack of a better word) have shaken me up profoundly..They have made me think how I live my life;  what is important, what to prioritize, and who you like to spend time with. As my friend Steven said; "it helps you to cut though the fog".
How would you live your life if you had a year left?
                              Sylva Sokolovsky 1964-2017   Rest In Peace my friend
Take care of yourself!
                                       -Chris (IronCouch.com)