This week, I returned to my Kansas hometown to visit my 90-year-old mother, along with other family members and friends. Despite feeling like a teenager in many ways, a quick glance in the mirror confirms that time moves forward for all of us. Familiar places have disappeared, and precious people have passed away.
Yet these hometown conversations have powerfully reminded me of three fundamental truths: life is precious, meaningful relationships are beautiful, and expressing love while we can is essential.
The Wisdom in Muhammad Ali’s Words
As a kid, I loved watching Muhammad Ali box. One of his quotes has stayed with me throughout my life: “Don’t count the days, make the days count.” This wisdom from a sports legend captures something profound about how we should approach our limited time.
When we focus on counting days—watching the calendar, waiting for weekends, or counting down to vacations—we miss the opportunity to make each day meaningful. Time passes regardless of how we use it, but the impact we create through our daily choices is entirely up to us.
Finding Gratitude in Relationships
My visit home this week served as a powerful reminder about what truly matters. While businesses change, buildings get demolished, and towns evolve, relationships remain our most valuable asset.
I’ve noticed that gratitude and meaningful connections share a circular relationship:
- Expressing gratitude strengthens our relationships
- Strong relationships give us more reasons to be grateful
- Grateful people tend to invest more in their relationships
- These investments create deeper connections
This positive cycle creates a foundation for a fulfilling life, regardless of other circumstances we might face.
The Urgency of Expressing Love
Perhaps the most important lesson from my hometown visit is the urgency of expressing love. At 90, my mother won’t be here forever. Neither will my other family members or friends—or any of us, for that matter.
We often assume we’ll have time “later” to express our feelings, but later isn’t guaranteed for anyone. This reality isn’t meant to be depressing but motivating. It should push us to prioritize meaningful conversations and expressions of love today rather than postponing them.
As a business coach, I often help leaders think about legacy and impact. What I’ve learned personally is that our most significant legacy isn’t found in professional achievements but in how we’ve loved the people in our lives.
A Challenge to Practice Gratitude
I’m deeply grateful for my mother, family members, and friends I connected with this week. Each conversation, each shared meal, each memory revisited—these moments aren’t just pleasant pastimes. They’re the substance of a life well-lived.
My challenge to you is simple but profound: Who are you grateful for? More importantly, when was the last time you told them?
Don’t wait for the “perfect moment” to express your gratitude and love. Make a call, send a message, schedule a visit. These simple actions create the meaningful days that Muhammad Ali encouraged us to pursue.
After all, we can’t stop time from moving forward, but we can ensure that as it passes, we’re creating connections that matter. That’s how we make our days count.
