I had a brief discussion with a friend yesterday. He is suffering from Leukemia. Is it getting the better of him, but he is clearly becoming better at some things through this process.
I was stuck by his poignancy when he talked about how he now realizes that all the things he worked so hard for, for so many years – houses, property, cars… mean nothing. He cares desperately for his family right now. He wants to see his kids one more time.
His quote nailed me: “I hate the disease but I love what it has done for my perspective.”
We briefly talked about the wrongness of human nature to emphasize temporary stuff. I learned a lot in our few minutes together.
What is shaping your outlook today? Do you have a view of eternity or are you still caught up in the stuff that’s all going away?
Let’s not wait for a killer disease to be our teacher.
Thoughts on Life and Leading 
This is so difficult, especially because of the backlash you receive if you decide not to center your existence around titles, possessions and social standing. Multiple times I’ve been “encouraged” to buy a more expensive car or do “fancier” things just because I “should”.
Staying connected to people near the end of their time here (despite the frequently uncomfortable reminder of our own mortality) really is a big help in keeping perspective.