EXECUTIVE COACH, SPEAKER AND TRAINER LEARNS LESSONS FROM SOMEONE WITH AN INOPERABLE BRAIN TUMOR

The last two weeks I have the opportunity to learn from a man who has been a friend for twenty-two years. At 52 he knows his time on earth is coming to an end.

There have been moments of helping him dress, then handing him his favorite breakfast of two kinds of cereal, with rice milk and blueberries. We sit out in the Palm Springs sun and talk about life.

His mind is totally clear, yet, try as he might, the words do not come out to say what he means....today I figured out he was asking for blueberries and it was coming out turkey.

Yesterday, he said to me "Kath, please write about the craziness of this." What that means is obviously for me to determine....yet, now I know I was brought here to be an observer and pass on to others what I have learned. Not sure what form it will take, yet when such a kind, gracious, thankful man ask you do this, how can I not do it?

He has no regrets about life---and his friends will all say Gary has always lived his life to the fullest....How thankful we all are for that.

Early Wednesday morning I resume my life --- can't even imagine what it will be like to tell him good night Tuesday--I leave for a presentation in Seattle early Wednesday morning and then fly to my home in Vancouver, Washington Friday night.

One thing I have learned for sure: Ask for help if you need it. Those of us who have been honored to be asked to help Gary through this stage are not only grateful to be of "real" help since we know what is needed --- we feel totally honored to be in the presence of someone in this stage of his life.