Yesterday, we had a staff member receive a piece of heartbreaking news, the type that creates that “life before, life after” type of moment.  She was at school only briefly, but received many hugs, and will receive many more in the days to come.

Not 20 minutes after I saw her, I received this video from a friend, totally unrelated:

It’s a video I’ve seen before, but hadn’t saved and lost in the recesses of my mind.  It’s something I watched a number of times yesterday as I just can’t seem to get that idea of the time that I have left right now.

As we go through our lives, we grade papers, create assessments, work way too many hours, and even dream about the jobs we still have to do.  Our lives are dominated by other students, other worries, and how we can reach them.  It’s who we are and the life we signed up for.

However, we have to see our lives as more than our jobs.  We must.  We have to embrace our families, find out more about our co-workers other than they are teachers, and enjoy the moment we are in.  I’ve written about being in the moment before, and after today, I believe in it more that ever.  How many times have our lives been invaded by those things that just don’t matter, replacing those things that do.  Just like with education, our lives need to change in a transformational manner, in a way that helps us to see the true genius in ourselves and the others around us.

Please, find that person who matters, and let them know.  Put down the papers and play with your kids.  Put down the device and make eye contact with that significant other (guilty as charged).  Make it count today.  Make something grand with that jelly bean.

You never know when that chance will be taken forever from you.