What have you put off until tomorrow...
Where have you wanted to go, that you simply didn't have time to wander?
What have you wanted to say, but couldn't find the words?
Today I went to the showing of a memorial film about a client of mine, that I may be presumptuous in saying, I felt, was a friend. Susan Shulman died last year at an obscenely young age, leaving behind her husband and young son. Her film was entitled "No regrets."
How she died was shocking, cancer in the brain that took her in a matter of weeks, but it was how she lived that was truly inspirational. Some of this I knew about her, and other things were somewhat of a surprise. But I want to share the resonating messages that I left with today. The lessons I have learned from a life of consequence.
Susan was an achiever. She took every task of life seriously and attacked it with everything she had. And she had a lot. Good looks (truly striking), intelligence (fluent in French), athletic (marathon runner, Alcatraz swimmer), mother (par excellence), wife with extraordinary wisdom and devotion, friend (who brought out the best in others) and warrior (who survived through not one but two bouts of chemo in her battle against Breast Cancer, double mastectomy) and emerged stronger and with a determination to help others.
I asked Susan to be my personal trainer at a time when I was not a very likely candidate. I had found out I had osteoporosis and wanted to make myself stronger to prevent any other bone breaks (having had 2 already). Susan agreed and told me to get a heart monitor. Now tell me, what did she think I needed that for! I had no idea she actually expected me to really sweat! Perhaps it was meant to be that she was admitted to a Master's Nursing program at UCSF. I think at that time I was not going to be one of her stunning successes of people she trained into swimming with her to Alcatraz. But I am so glad I had that short time with her on that level. She was supportive, yet she set the bar just alittle higher than you though you could go. W talked a little about our families, parenting, and life. She was so concerned that she would not be admitted to the program. (As if they wouldn't recognize what almost everyone who knew her, knew...she was born to succeed).
When I heard she had died, I couldn't even imagine it. And I still feel and see this warm glow around when I think of her. She was someone who radiated her being. She lived life to the fullest.
During the film I heard how one summer she had taken her son to as many swimming holes as she could find, traveling to Podunk little towns and discovering that local closely held secret. Can you imagine taking the time to give that kind of gift to your child and yourself.
Those who never knew her really lost a great opportunity to be challenged to be your best, to live life to the fullest and to inspire others. Those who knew her still have that gift.
I HATE cancer. Susan lost her battle with this insidious disease, only because the tools were not there yet to help in time. Being the fighter she was, even a couple of years from now might have been enough to allow her to win her war with Cancer. We have time to do something about this. But someone fighting cancer can't wait. What we do today is critical because it could become the end of cancer. Don't be misled, this is a war. It is time to join the fight.
Thank you Barry for allowing me the honor of being there today. Thank you Susan for being an example we all can aspire to. I miss you.
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