The day "TODAY" was most important.

I ran across my high school prom picture yesterday and immediately teared up. As the knot grew in my throat, I quickly started picturing in my head the most important memory I will never forget each time I think about the day I was getting measured for the tux I was wearing in that picture.

And, it has nothing to do with the prom.

I distinctly remember standing in the store situated on the corner of the downtown square, in the small town I grew up in. While I was in the process of getting measured for my prom tux, one of my dearest & best friends came walking in saying, " I saw your Jeep outside and wanted to see you." He and I grew up together. We were together pretty much every day growing up, and we had each other’s backs more times than I could count. It had been a while since I had seen him as he was 4 years older than me and had moved away after graduating. He had just gotten married and was excited to tell me of his new job he was starting the next Monday.

?Since I was "busy" and in the middle of getting measured, the conversation was only a minute or so, and we left it at, we would get together that weekend to catch up.

Just a couple of days later, while sitting at a red light, his mother pulled beside me in the turning lane. Which was odd due to her not living in that State any longer. We both rolled our windows down and I asked, "what are you doing in town?"

"He was admitted into the hospital this morning with a high fever, I'm going to see him," she said.?

The light turned green, and both went on our way. I immediately had this odd feeling in my stomach. I made my way to my after-school job and gave my mom a call. She worked at the local hospital. I told her who I had seen, and that he had been admitted, and asked if she could check on him.

?In the background of that phone call, I heard the siren. The announcement that there was a code blue in ICU. I know, it's a hospital. There are hundreds of people admitted but, that odd feeling in my stomach had just gotten stronger.

I hung up the phone, jumped in my Jeep and flew across town to the hospital. Ran in through the emergency room entrance and through the doors that led into the main hallway of the hospital. As I turned the corner to the hallway that led to the ICU, his mom was standing there. The first thing she said to me, and the look on her face is something I will never forget.

As she reached out her arms for me, immediately falling apart, “He didn’t make it,” was the only words that she could get out before falling into my arms, crying in a way that can’t be described.

At only 21, he had suddenly passed away from bacterial meningitis.

At only 17, it didn’t register to me what she must have been feeling at that moment. How I felt and was going to feel didn’t even register with me. I'm assuming I was in shock as I can't remember what was said or even happening over the next few minutes until the nurse called us into his room. As we were standing beside his bed, while the hospital Chaplain said his last prayer, I couldn’t stop thinking about the last time I spoke to him, while getting measured for my prom tux. We made plans together for that weekend. He was supposed to tell me more about his new job he was excited about. Why didn't I take the time then to catch up? The flood of questions and memories that rushed through my mind was something I had never felt before.

Seeing my prom picture yesterday reminded me not only of that day but also, that what we do TODAY matters the most. How we interact with each other, how we treat each other, help each other, take a few more minutes to speak with each other, is what matters TODAY. Our future plans may never take place. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t plan for the future. Not saying that we shouldn’t be working hard for future results. What I am saying is that we all need to be aware of the actions and interactions we take TODAY. TODAY may be the last memory you have of someone and vice versa. That’s just a part of life that’s the inevitable.

Surround yourself with positive and supportive people. Don't allow others negativity to change your mindset. Treat others with respect. Tell your loved ones that you love them. Help to lift someone up in any way you can. If you’re in a negative situation, focus on what steps you can do TODAY, that will make it more positive. And do the things that make you happy.

If we want change to happen in our world, it starts with each one of us. Don’t allow being too “busy” like I “thought” I was when getting measured for that prom tux, be the day that “TODAY” was most important.