I worked with a 74 year old man today who touched my life in a way I never imagined would have. When I retained the referral I learned of his extreme depression and absolute negativity--the kind of traits you must learn to protect yourself from when counseling an individual. I walked into his room and introduced myself and I can honestly say I have never met someone so ready to die. For the next 45 minutes he began to tell me how horrible his life had been--his wife had cheated, his kids were "bums" as he put it and now cancer. He stated he waited his whole life to live the golden years and now that he is here it isn't all that he thought it would be. In fact he is still depressed and still unhappy rethinking his theory to life. It occurred to me then that this gentlemen spent his entire life waiting for and expecting happiness to walk on his doorstep one day when he was old---probably the biggest mistake he had ever made. He spent his life dwelling on his past and focused on his future letting the present slip him by. Not a day went by that this man lived in the moment and was happy for today and his advice to me was not to wait for the golden years. I learn from my clients and patients on a daily basis but this man provided me an invisible act of power: a reminder that we have one chance at life and what better way to spend it then living.
