DO IT NOW !!

One business leadership class teacher greatly surprised his students one evening when he gave them the following assignment, « Within the next week, go to someone you love and tell them you love them. It has to be someone you have never said those words to before or at least haven’t shared those words with for a long time.”

At the beginning of the next class, he asked if someone wanted to share what happened during their assignment. One young man appeared quite moved and told his story :

« As I began driving home, my conscience started talking to me, telling me that I knew exactly who I needed to say ‘I love you’ to. You see, five years ago, my father and I had a horrible disagreement and we had never resolved it since that time. We avoided seeing each other unless we absolutely had to.  So, by the time I got home, I had convinced myself I was going to tell my father I loved him.

It’s weird, but just making that decision seemed to lift a heavy load off my chest.

So I rushed into the house to tell my wife what I was going to do. I was very moved and, for the first time in our married life, she saw me cry.

The next morning I was up bright and early. I got to the office early and accomplished more in two hours than I had the whole day before.

At 9:00 I called my dad to see if I could come over after work. When he answered the phone, I just said, ‘Dad, can I come over after work tonight? I have something to tell you.’ My dad responded with a grumpy, ‘Now what?’ I assured him it wouldn’t take long, so he finally agreed.

At 5:30, I was at my parents’ house ringing the doorbell, praying that Dad would answer the door. I was afraid if Mom answered that I would chicken out and tell her instead. But it was my Dad who answered the door.

I didn’t waste any time—I took one step in the door and said, ‘Dad, I just came over to tell you that I love you.’

It was as if a transformation came over him. Before my eyes, his face softened, the wrinkles seemed to disappear, and he began to cry. He reached out and hugged me and said, ‘I love you too, son, but I’ve never been able to say it.’

It was such a precious moment I didn’t want to move. Mom walked by with tears in her eyes. I just waved and blew her a kiss. Dad and I hugged for a moment longer and then I left. I hadn’t felt that great in a long time.

But that’s not even my point. Two days after that visit, my dad had a heart attack and ended up in the hospital, unconscious. I don’t know if he’ll make it.

So my message to all of you is this : Don’t wait to do the things you know need to be done. What if I had waited to tell my dad—maybe I will never get the chance again! Take the time to do what you need to do and do it now!”—By Dennis E. Mannering