Tuesday, December 05, 2006

CNET Founder's Family Found

I don't know if you heard this story or not, but the family of CNET founder James Kim was found today after surviving for nine days in the wilderness. James has not been found and left the family by the car to go for help. The search is still on for him.

Michelle Malkin has a great post about the ordeal. It is still not known why the family was out there to begin with or what exactly happened. Michelle links to Patterico who has a post about what is really important:

And then I realized: some day, years in the future, I might be asking the same question about my life today — this very minute. If you could have this moment back to live over again, what would you do?

The rest of that evening, I pictured myself as having been sent into my body from the future, to relive the moments I was experiencing. And I saw everything differently. I sat on the couch and watched television with my arm around my wife — all the while imagining myself as an old man, transported back in time to relive that moment. And all of a sudden, what otherwise might have seemed like a mundane moment seemed like a privilege. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world, just sitting there with my wife.

I’ve tried the trick all weekend, and it really changes your outlook. Just sitting around with a sleepy child in your arms is great any way you look at it. But if you picture yourself as someone whose child has grown up — if you imagine yourself as an older man, who would give the world to be back in that chair with that child in his arms — it makes you realize how important the moment is. And you appreciate it more.

Like any epiphany, I know that this will pass, to be remembered only from time to time. I hope I remember it often, when routine is wearing on me.

Unfortunately for me, my "epiphany" came after my son died. While I might bitch and moan about my life some times, there isn't a minute with my children that I ever want to regret. So I tell them I love them a million times. Hugs all around. My Autistic son will yell, "GROUP HUG!" and with his sister's eyes rolling, we group hug.

Life is short. Every minute is a blessing. We all waste so much time.

Right now, my husband's cousin fights for her life in a New York hospital. A sleepy driver came across the double yellow lines and smashed into her car. Her lungs collapsed. Every extremity is broken. She will likely have her right leg amputated below the knee. Her eye socket was fractured. Her heart bruised. Her liver and spleen lacerated. She hangs on.....

In an instant two whole families' lives are changed forever. Please pray for her. Her name is Brittney. She's in her 20s. Please pray for her family.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I get up early every morning to pray and I will put Brittney on top of my list. I am so very sorry this has happend. Life is a bitch sometimes.

MaxedOutMama said...

Will do. I'm very sorry. Life is quite fragile and we don't appreciate what we have.

Dr. M, I think all your troubles have made you warm and wise, and you write about what matters. In the sea of endless, meaningless yip-yap our media culture generates, we need to relearn how to speak of real, enduring meaning.

Anonymous said...

Maxedoutmama, I think you are a wise woman yourself with display of empathy and passion.

Yes, Melissa has a real gift that continues to flourish and grow.

Melissa Clouthier said...

Wow. Thank you for your kind words.