For the last month, I have spent a lot of time with a loved one in various hospitals, both here and in Arizona. Spending all this time around hundreds of people who were in very ill-health, I have been reminded that:

Life is too short to take people for granted.

Life is too short to put work before children.

Life is too short not to exercise, but it's also too short to eat only healthy food, especially cooked carrots.

Life is too short to watch most of the things I watch on television. Is it really that important who is victorious on American Gladiator?

Life is too short not to read good books.

Life is too short to be angry about things that are of no real importance. It's way too short to hold grudges.

Life is too short to waste on worrying. If I can do something about the situation, I should; if I can't, there's no use worrying about it.

Life's too short to use cheap toilet paper.

Life's too short to give one second of thought to Lindsay Lohan, Brittney Spears, or Paris Hilton.

Life's too short not to tell the people you love how much they mean to you and spend lots of time with them.

Life's too short to spend inordinate amounts of time and energy clawing our way up the corporate ladder. The view might be better, but the price you pay is quite expensive.

Life's too short to watch any movie that has The Rock as it's star.

Life's too short to be addicted to anything.

Life's too short not to be involved with a church that is spiritually feeding you, or is always fighting, or doesn't do a lot of outreach.

Life's too short to be closed minded. I'm always leery of those who think they know everything and have all the right answers.

Life's too short not to have hobbies.

Life's too short to discriminate against anyone because of the color of their skin.

Life's too short for the Panthers not to make some drastic off-season moves.

Life's too short to be a snob, or worry about what kind of clothes someone is wearing.

Life's too short not to appreciate everything we have.

Life's too short not to volunteer.

Life's too short not to learn something new every day.

Life's too short to take too seriously. Seriously. We all need to learn to laugh a lot more.