Have you read the story of Ali Banat, the young Sydney Australian millionaire?
He was given 7 months to live with stage 4 cancer, and lived over 3 years!
He just passed recently.
His story is unique, in the long list of compelling life changing stories you read about.
I love his journey about waking up to the fact that his cancer was a gift from his Creator.
He had a spiritual awakening; one that comes with the reality when told you are about to die.
He instantly woke up!
His lavish lifestyle, $700,000 cars, $60,000 bracelets, the most expensive clothes ($700 pairs of sandals), parties, and having no cares in the world…stopped!!!
In his words, “There was nothing in all of that to chase.”
How about that? Chase. Makes me wonder…
What am I chasing right now?
Ali soon found that he was not awake to the simple things in life, like fresh air.
Breathing…Taking in a breath of fresh air had new meaning.
Everything had new meaning. All that he had collected in life did not.
So he started giving everything he owned away.
He went to Africa to give away clothes and described the look on a boy’s face that received his $700 pair of sandals.
It exceeded any of the joy he had ever received from driving his Ferrari.
His heart had opened up to a new way of being. He was present to the now.
The joy in his heart was something he had never had before. The kind of joy that only comes when awakened from a horrible dream…a dark cold dream with no hope. Some of us are lucky enough to
receive such a gift. I have.
It pains me to see people in pain. I spend all of my time helping others end their own suffering.
I love that about my job. It really doesn’t feel like a job anymore; it feels more like my purpose.
My reason for being alive.
We all have a choice. The choice to be awake. Be present.
In that space there is no time constraints, no hurry, no where to be, no one to be…
Just the now.
I wish for you all to find your gift.
There is only now. Breathe, open up, live today.
Blessings to you all.
Thanks Jerry! My daughter just finished 1st grade and it woke me up to how fast life passes by.
It’s like a blink and if I’m not paying attention, it will pass me by. It can be easy to choose overwhelm, shut down, and escape when I’m tired and crabby. But that’s a moment I can never get back.
I hope to remember and re-remember to wake up every day.