What About Happiness?

For 20 years I had the privilege of being a patient of family practitioner Dr. Duncan Hadley. In 1998 he died tragically in an accident at the age of 49.

Shortly before he died he asked me how I had managed to survive and conquer so much adversity in my life. He was surveying his patients in an attempt to understand why some fall and others grow stronger.

I replied that I must remain strong for my son: set an example. He then asked, “What about happiness?”

I paused to ponder. I then answered “Happiness is in the moment….bits and pieces. It is there; it is everywhere; it is who I am.” He frowned as he tried to absorb this.

As he went to the door, he turned and said: “You are a very strong woman.”

And then, in an instant, he was gone.

The devastation to the community was beyond description. No room in the church for all who mourned the loss of a great man, a warrior.

His spirit lives on and I still feel the loss. He lifts me up still. He was a gift to all who knew him and to his beautiful wife and three daughters.

Is life fair? Absolutely not! But, this is the only life we have.

Duncan Hadley made it matter.

Live the real you, NOW
Sharon