One day a man’s wife died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of his bedroom, he was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there is no tomorrow. No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just a minute dear..."

Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say goodbye, or to say "I love you."

So while we have it, what best serves us is to love it, care for it, fix it when it is broken and heal it when it us sick. This is true for marriage, and old cars, and children with bad report cards, and dogs with bad hips, and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it… and because we are worth it.

Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a sister-in-law after divorce. Some people make us happy, no matter what. Other people make us sad, despite the many good things about them. To forgive is the most rewarding thing one can do. Forgive others, if for no other reason than selfish reasons. Do it for yourself if not for them.

A man once hired me to give a speech for his company and later called on me for a follow-up consulting assignment. He was angry at a former business partner and wanted to hire me to help find a way to “get even.”

My answer to him was simple. If you want me to do the devil’s work I will charge you triple my normal fee, payable in advance with results unconditional. Further, you must follow my advice totally and unconditionally. If you do, I will refund your full fee. If you do not, I will donate the fee to a charity.

He paid me my fee. When the check cleared, I called on him to do my face-to-face consulting assignment. He had an evil look in his eye and could not wait until I unveiled the “devil’s plan” to get back at his former partner who had cost him dearly.

I handed him a note with two simple words written on it- “Forgive him.” He went ballistic, threatening to sue me for the fee and much more. I reminded him of our unconditional contract and suggested that he think about the advice.

It took him nearly a month to call me back, but when he did, he apologized for his behavior and said that this was the best advice he had ever been given. He had harbored all this anger and frustration over losing over a million dollars because of his former partner. The partner was not simply a business acquaintance; he was a fellow Deacon in his church and married to a family member.

When my client finally forgave him, it was as if a huge burden had been lifted from his own shoulders and the gesture of forgiveness literally drove the former business partner nuts. I supposed the guilt of his actions and the forgiveness of the partner were both so totally foreign to him that he could not stand it.

I offered my client the refund of his money and he insisted that I donate it to charity and even offered to match it to me personally. I refused.

Life is important, like people we know who are special... and so, we keep them close!

Are you a “keeper”? Some people love us-- not because of us but in spite of us. They love you unconditionally with all our flaws and shortcomings. Why? I suspect it is because we are “keepers” and are worth hanging onto.

Suppose one morning you never wake up - do all your friends know you love them? I was thinking...I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds that needed to be healed, friendships that needed to be rekindled or three words that needed to be said.

Let every one of your friends and your family know that you love them. Even if you think they do not love you back. You would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do. And just in case I am gone tomorrow, remember I love you!