Utilizing time

Debbie Schlussel penned a moving article about her dad the other day.

It’s been almost five years since I lost my father, H.L. Schlussel, MD, to pancreatic cancer. It seems like it was yesterday. And I miss him every single day. But even though he is gone, he is with me every day in the lessons he imparted to me as a loving, caring, concerned parent. I realize every day how lucky I was to have him in my life. How lucky I was that he was around and involved in my life and my development. Today, fewer and fewer Americans are so lucky. ...Give your father a hug today and tell him how much he’s meant to you in your life. I wish I could tell my father that again, today. I’m glad I got to tell him while he was still here. I love you, Dad.

After reading the article I immediately thanked Hashem for being fortunate enough to have two loving living parents.
Last night I was walking to a restaurant in theneighborhood when I bumped into a woman in her seventies who is a remarkable example of living life to the fullest. She suddenly became a widow many years ago, she has had two knee replacements during the past couple of years and I've never heard a word of complaint from her. She told me that she would see me the next day at the shiur that she and I attend every Wednesday. I told her that I would see her in two days as tomorrow was Tuesday, not Wednesday. She looked at me in surprise. She told me that she had accomplished so much that day, between visiting sick people in the hopital etc. that she thought she had put in two days and that it was Tuesday already. She is a woman that utilizes her time to the maximum.Let's follow her example and use our time right now to go over to our parents and thank them for all they have done for us. And to those who have lost touch, isn't it time to make amends?