appreciate me now and avoid the rush

We have recently had some unexpected deaths in the music industry. Tragically Whitney Houston and Davy Jones have both died prematurely. Understandably their music has received significant airplay on the radio following their deaths by way of tribute to them.

What I am still trying to get my head around is that (and this seems to happen every time a musician or singer dies) so many people rush out and buy their music (or click and buy their music) after these people have died. Is it because they have suddenly been reminded about how good that artist was, or  have just realised it? Could it be that they have remembered how much they enjoyed particular songs and are prompted to add them to their music collection? Is it their own form of tribute?

Whatever the reason, isn’t it sad that sometimes it takes someone’s death for them to be appreciated or recognised? Sometimes we don’t appreciate someone while they are with us and then regret not having been able to tell them how much they meant to us when they’re gone. In recent thanksgiving services for friends in our church who have “gone to Glory” we have been able to pay tribute to them, but that’s not the same as saying it to their face.

I can remember seeing a Peanuts cartoon when I was a child which had Snoopy stood looking proud of himself and the caption underneath read, “Appreciate me now and avoid the rush.” We so easily take other people for granted and sometimes regret doing so.

Often, after a musician singer has died, their songs go into the top 10 – even though they might not have had a hit for many years. So, taking that as inspiration, who are the top 10 people you appreciate? How can you show them or tell them?

It’s all part of having an attitude of gratitude– gratitude for the people around you.

Be blessed, be a blessing.