“What if the people that mattered to you, the people you love and are grateful for, what if they are gone tomorrow? There is no benefit in waiting. This is your moment, so say it now.”

I was listening to a podcast recently with Dr. Peter Attia (one of my favourite podcasters) who was discussing the impact of gratitude - serving others - embracing mortality and living intentionally. His guest was - Walter Green - author of the “Say It Now” movement. Walter spoke of his challenging childhood - discussed the impact that his father’s death at the age of 53 made on him - and how he was embracing mortality with a desire to finish strong. His movement shares insights on how to live intentionally - how to prioritize relationships - and - how to focus on others.

On the podcast - Green spoke of his year-long journey - mostly throughout the States but also other parts of the world - to visit 44 people who had significantly impacted his life. He talked about a time a friend asked him to organize a “celebration of life” after his passing. Green declined - and instead - convinced his friend to have a “living tribute” before he passed. The friend’s nearest and dearest gathered to celebrate how much he’d meant in their lives.

In 1922 - Green - formally launched the Say It Now movement.

Why do we wait to tell someone how much they mean to us? Why do we delay sharing words that can uplift another person? Why do we miss opportunities to enrich the lives of others? Why do we live we regrets?

Green encourages his listeners to break the cycle of postponement and to take action - by writing a letter - making a phone call - or meeting face to face. He wants us to create a cycle of intention and acknowledgement. He wants us to think and reflect on those who have helped us along the way - those who’ve made a difference in our lives!

Don’t assume you have time.

After listening to this podcast - I’ve been thinking of several people who have impacted my life and I’ve never taken the time to tell them. So…………here we go!

My high school math teacher - Mr. Marc S. Thank you for your encouragement through a very difficult grade 13 Functions class. I had already dropped Calculus and desperately wanted to drop the Functions class but you asked me to come in at lunchtime so you could tutor me - to explain things - over and over again. Thank you for not treating me like the dummy I was. Thank you for speaking to me in language that I could understand. Thank you for the many discussions we had besides math - conversations about religion - family - post secondary education - sports - politics - and the meaning of life. Thank you that you listened to and encouraged a young woman’s idealistic chatter and prattle and never once belittled me. You meant the world to me. I remember visiting you years later - you had moved on from teaching and were working for the school board. I arrived unannounced at your office - with my three wee sons - and you stopped what you were doing to catch up with me! You interacted with my boys and let them roam around in your office. You didn’t speak down to me for choosing motherhood over a career. Thank you. It was a fine hour together. By now - you will be older and grayer! I hope you are well and living out your life to the fullest.

Next………Mr. Ralph M…………..the organist and choir director at the church our family attended when I was a child. Thank you for instilling me the love of music at such a young age. I used to look up at the choir loft from my seat in the congregation and long for the day when I could join - when I could wear the white gown with the purple collar. You had to be in grade three to be in the junior choir. I could hardly wait. I learned so much from you. I learned to breathe in the right places - where the commas were - not in the middle of a two syllable word - how to sing in harmony - how to add dynamics to the music - but most important - how to tell the story I was singing so that my listeners would be drawn in. Thank you for giving me opportunities to sing solos and duets. Thank you for teaching me to love the old Hymns - to understand the theology that made these songs so strong and believable. I remember the year you organized a cantata for the teens and young adults in our church. It was amazing and we even “took it on the road”. I still remember the lyrics to some of those songs. You didn’t know it at the time - but you were the reason I became a music teacher of both voice and piano. You were the reason I led Christmas concerts at the churches I attended and the schools I taught at. You were the reason I still sing the hymns and songs I learned as a child. I’m sorry I never had the chance to tell you. You are long gone now - already in heaven - someday when I see you - I will tell you these things and more.

Another one………..Marie C………..friend and mentor when I was a young mom. Hi Marie. I want to thank you for taking me under your wing when I was a young mother with 3 little boys. You were a few years older and wiser and had parented for a number of years already. Thank you for spending time with me and my sons. Thank you for all the wonderful suppers you cooked for us to enjoy in your beautiful home. Thank you for taking my two older kids when my youngest was born - so I could enjoy quiet times with my newborn and get some much needed sleep. Thank you - because you were generous and caring - for taking me shopping every few months to help with my very pitiful wardrobe. You wanted me to “look” the part of a pastor’s wife and knew I couldn’t afford to shop on our salary. I’ll never forget that beautiful blue dress you purchased for me and those gorgeous heels - I felt amazing in that outfit and wore it for years. Thank you for opening up your home to us for two weeks when we visited you in California. You said “come” and that we did…….all five of us for our vacation. We laughed and cried and shared the stories after being apart for a few years. That vacation to LA is forever cemented in my brain. Thank you for sending a lovely card when Randy passed away. What a great blessing you were to me. You shared at that time that your life was in a good place - I trust it still is.

One more……….my brother - Tim…………You were three years - my senior. I never knew a time you weren’t in my life. You were my hero. You were my playmate. You were my sounding board. You’ve been gone for 31 years. Your death was such a shock to our family. It was so unexpected. We grieved and mourned for so long. I never had the chance to say how much I loved you and how thankful I was for you in my life. Thank you for walking to school with me when you could have raced ahead to be with your friends. Thank you for encouraging me to join the badminton club - even though I was the youngest of the neighbourhood group - you wanted me there too. Thank you for inviting me to go running with you and your friends. Thank you for cheering me when I was playing high school sports. I knew you were in the crowd of supporters. Thank you for being a groomsman at my first wedding. You stood - proud - in the row of groomsmen - supporting Randy on our wedding day. Thank you for coming all the way south from Red Lake (even though you did forget to get my honeymoon luggage out of your trunk and into Randy’s trunk.) Thank you for the visits you made to our home after we were both married with kids and also opening your home to us for summer vacations. We had so much fun together. Two young couples - with littles all around. I watched you - as you loved Lorraine - as you loved Scott and Jillian - as you worked hard in the north - as you visited Mom and Dad as often as you could - as you took a leadership role in your church and northern community - I watched and admired you. I never told you and you’ve been gone for so long. I look forward to the day we are reunited. Love you so much big Bro.

I’m so thankful that on the morning over 11 years ago - the morning Randy collapsed while running and never regained consciousness - that we hadn’t left anything unsaid. We were pretty prompt at talking through disagreements and working things out. We had regular chats about our marriage - where we were at - how each of us was doing. I’m forever grateful. No regrets. Nothing left unsaid.

Randy and I both loved Asian Food and at one particular restaurant in Alliston they gave out candies - the ones that were wrapped in green cellophane. Both of us always took the candies (even though we didn’t like them) and then hid them around the house for the other to find. In the underwear drawer! In the tool box! In amongst my makeup! They always showed up. Imagine my surprise months after Randy’s passing to find one of those cellophane wrapped candies in the toe of my winter boot. I laughed and cried all at the same time. It was our game. It was our love language. It was who we were. Even after Randy was in heaven - he was saying it!

SAY IT NOW. Your peeps need to hear your words of love - of thanksgiving - of gratefulness. They need to hear why they were instrumental in your life - how they helped you become who you are today.

Don’t delay. Tomorrow isn’t promised.