Lesson taught, lesson learnt.

Despite the title of today's post, there are lessons which can't be taught. While we can go to school and learn what two plus two equals or our abc's, there are just lessons which can't be taught. We have to experience, feel and learn them. Sometimes the things we 'learn' aren't the things we don't know, but rather things that we need reminding of. They're important, just like knowing our abc's.

Today, in between work, Mum and I visited an ex-colleague who has been battling with Stage 5 cancer for the past year. He looked so different from the last time I remembered him. There were a few people talking to us and himself - the social worker, a lady from the paliative care and his doctor. His condition was worsening, and he probably only has a few months left. Even though I haven't known him all my life, and only through the last year working with the company, it was heartbreaking to know that in a few months, he won't be here in our world anymore.

He's a funny guy, who used to joke all the time, and make all of us laugh. He has a great sense of humour, and.. my heart swells a little thinking about him and all he's suffered due to cancer. No, my heart swells a lot. I've come to terms when I was about ten that everyone dies, but it's a completely different thing watching someone who was once a laughing, joking guy become so weak.

Life is so darn precious, I've always known that. And today, I was so, point blank, reminded of that. We need to live life. More importantly, we need to take good care of ourselves. We need to become the people we want to be. Live beyond not only others' expecations, but our own. Lessons taught, lessons learnt.