One more thing ...

No, this is not an article about Steve Jobs, Apple products, or hi-tech. I am expecting some readers to tag the post as not professional or appropriate for LinkedIn.  I respect that perspective and ask for their understanding. In my mind, this article is about the ultimate goal: happiness. 

On Friday September 29th, our family lost our 10 year-old English chocolate Labrador, Bono.  Bono joined our lives right after my wife and I got married and moved to Brazil for an expat assignment. He was more than a pet, he was a companion. He accompanied my wife day and night and played a vital role in my kids emotional well-being during the time I was away in grad school.  He was the first family member I'd see right after waking up, laying down next to my side of the bed, and he would wait for me to go to bed on his Lazy Boy recliner while I'd work late nights.  He was always there.

His love was unconditional. That's probably the reason I feel guilty for his final days.  I felt something was off a few weeks before he passed since he was skipping meals and he was sleeping more than usual.  I thought it was because of his on-going battle with arthritis.  But also, I was so focused on the upcoming vacation trip with my wife to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, my birthday, and my graduation from MIT, that I just didn't want to think about anything that would pose risk to the trip.  I will never know if I could've done something to extend Bono's life.

So what's this last one thing? It's Bono's last teaching, really: to live life according to true priorities and purpose. The day he passed my wife called me multiple times from the vet office to let me know Bono had only a few hours to live.  As typical of me, I was too busy in meetings.  That day though I decided to call right back without noticing the text messages my wife had already sent me with the news. I dropped everything, ran out of the office, and drove back to the vet to be with him during his last moments.  That's a memory I probably won't forget --and I really don't want to.  I loved Bono back.

This type of experience sounds cliché until you actually experience it.  My wife and I met a very nice guy once who kindly shared his story with us: his wife is a now in a wheelchair after suffering a stroke. When the stroke happen, his wife tried calling him multiple times without response. It wasn't until numerous missed calls later, many from his little boy who was sitting on the floor next to his sick mom, that he decided to call back.  Unfortunately it was too late.  He tells the story crying and regretting his decision of not picking up the phone the first time.  Obviously, we can't compare the two situations.

I do wish I would've had more "quality time" with Bono. The lesson though is that it's not about "quality time" but simply "time".  No need for adjectives.  Bono has reminded me that time passes by, unstoppable. Yesterday, on my way back home, I heard on PBS radio that the average human heart beats 3 million times in its lifetime. Although I can't control time, I do have control on how I invest it.  My challenge is to be better at prioritizing, with a long-term mindset, so when it's my time to go, I do not have any regrets. Nobody will care how many watches I have in my collection or what car I'm driving. People will care about how I made them feel and how I loved them.

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the position of the author’s employer or any other organization.