Lessons From My Brother

I just spent a week in Jacksonville, Florida with my older brother. He is dying from cancer. Watching him struggle with this awful disease, here’s what I realized about life:

• Hug your brother
• Spend time with your family
• Make people smile
• Make people laugh
• Be nice
• Play fair
• Plan ahead
• Read books
• Call your friends
• Pet your dog
• Kiss your wife (often)
• Love your neighbor
• Tell the truth
• Hurt no one
• Respect your parents
• Don’t hate
• Don’t steal
• Don’t lie
• Tell people you love them
• Pray (often)
• Pray out loud
• Share
• Love God
• Give generously
• Look people in the eye
• Do not covet
• Don’t be selfish
• Make a difference
• Be courageous
• Take your turn
• Swing for the fence
• Carry on
• Dabble in something
• Sing
• Daydream
• Think big
• Have character
• Study the Bible
• Help out
• Be humble
• Serve
• Learn new things
• Do new things
• Rotate your tires
• Save money
• Take Sundays off
• Remember your life
• Live with passion
• Don’t always doubt
• Be an encourager
• Trust yourself
• Be happy
• Love your children
• Renew your mind
• See what’s beautiful
• Embrace the ordinary
• Scream sometimes
• Wash other’s feet
• Teach
• Get shed of some things
• Practice patience
• Seek clarity
• Be careful what you worship
• Trust people
• Believe in eternity
• Live like you were dying
• Trust in Jesus
• Defend the weak
• Practice regularly
• Be disciplined
• Don’t annoy
• Pick up trash
• Catch and release
• Curse carefully
• Be reverent
• Relax
• Be real
• Entertain strangers
• Don’t criticize
• Be strong
• Lift up people
• Be proud
• Say please and thank you
• Clean up after yourself
• Clean up after others
• Expect the best
• Anticipate disappointment
• Be forgiving
• Write something profound
• Be in a play
• Be a musician
• Read a good poem
• Change your hairstyle
• Stay hip
• Be faithful
• Lay out in the shade
• Go to church
• Strive for holiness
• Let things pass
• Let things go
• Be free
• Don’t worry
• Be happy
• Let love flow