Once, there lived a child. He lived in a happy family, with
parents and siblings. However, he never stopped to think about how
wonderful his life had been. He just kept on playing, squabbling
with his siblings when they did not want to play what he wanted to
play. However, when he wanted to apologize, he always said, "Never
mind, there's tomorrow."
When he grew up a little, school was a very nice place for him. He
learned, made friends, and was very happy. However, he never
thought that this was happiness to him. It all came so naturally
that he felt it should become part of his life. One day, he had a
great fight with his best friend. Though he knew he was in the
wrong, he never took the initiative to apologize or made up with
his best friend. His excuse was, "Never mind, I'll do it
tomorrow."
When he grew up yet some more, that best friend was no longer part
of his. Even though he still sees his friend around, but they don't
even greet each other. But that was all right, because he still had
other good friends. He and his friends did almost everything
together, eating, playing, doing homework, and fooling around. Yes,
they were another bunch of very good friends.
When he graduated, work kept him very busy. He's found himself a
very pretty and virtuous girlfriend and she soon became his
constant companion. He made himself busy with work, because he
wanted to get promoted to the highest position with the shortest
time possible.
Sure, he missed his good friends. He missed them a lot. But he
never got down to keep in touch with them, not even a telephone
call. He always said, "Boy, I'm so tired, I'll catch up with them
tomorrow." It didn't affect him at all because he could find
colleagues who are always willing to go pubing with him. Thus, as
time passes by, he's forgotten to call his friends.
After he's got married with kids, he works even harder in order to
bring comfort to his family. He never buys flowers for his wife
anymore, nor does he remember his wife's birthdays and wedding
anniversary. It was all right because his wife always understood
him, and never blamed him. Of course, he felt guilty at times and
wanted very much to have a chance to say to his wife "I love you",
but he never got down to doing it. His excuse was "never mind, I'll
do it tomorrow for sure". He never made it to his children's
birthday parties, but his time he did not knew how it would affect
the children. The children began to drift away from him, as they
never really spent time with their father.
One day, disaster struck when his wife was killed in an accident.
It was a hit and run accident. But on that day, he was in the
middle of a meeting. Failing to understand that it is a fatal
accident, he arrived by his wife's deathbed only to see her on the
verge of death. Before he could mouth out the words "I love you",
his wife had already passed away.
The man became despondent and tried to find solace in his children
after his wife's death. However, he soon realized that the children
do not even try to communicate with him. Soon, his children have
grown up and found their own families. Nobody cared for this old
man who in the past hadn't spared his time for them.
He moved into the best Old Folk's Home, which provides excellent
service with the money he has saved for him and his wife's 50th,
60th, and 70th anniversary celebrations. All the money intended to
go to Hawaii, New Zealand, and other countries went into the fund
that pays for his stay in the home.
From that time until his deathbed, there were only old folks and
nurses taking care of him. He now felt the loneliness that he did
not feel before. Upon his deathbed, he called a nurse in and said
to her, "Ah. If only I had realized this earlier... " and died with
tears upon his cheek.
What I am trying to tell you is time never stops. You go on and on,
and before you realized it, you've already gone very far. If you
had quarreled, make up quickly!
If you feel you need to hear your friend's voice, don't hesitate to
pick up the phone.
If there are many dreams that you wish to fulfill, fulfill them as
soon as possible.
Lastly, but most importantly, if you feel you need to tell somebody
that you care, don't wait until it is too late. If you keep
thinking you will do that another day, then that day will never
come. If you always think that tomorrow will come, then 'tomorrow'
will run out quickly and you'll realize the time that you've left
behind you.