I did not plan to write this. I did not want to write it. It is too close to last week’s blog. But after tonight, I had to. Having dinner tonight in Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville connected some dots and I had no choice but to write it.

I lost a friend last week, and we celebrated her life yesterday with food, fellowship, and friends galore. My friend, Brenda Schell, lost her battle with ALS, and we lost a friend who lived a large life. As I sat in Margaritaville in downtown Atlanta, I was struck by the loss of Jimmy Buffet, and the similarity between Jimmy Buffet and Brenda. The connection was so strong that I have to share their message.

I did not know Jimmy Buffet, but I loved his music and his zest for life. More than the empires he created, more than his wealth, more than his fame. Jimmy Buffet was always smiling or laughing. When his music played, regardless of what I was doing, I wanted to sing and dance. Jimmy Buffet had that effect on many people.

Brenda Schell was not as famous as Jimmy Buffet, but she had a similar effect on people. Brenda lived LARGE. People loved her. She made whatever was going on ten times better. She loved life and lived like she did. Brenda loved to travel, and she and I traveled to Italy with a group of women friends. Brenda and her husband Bruce and Mike and I had some wonderful times traveling together. We also traveled with a couple’s group. These trips took us from Italy to St. Maarten, New Orleans to Key West, and Cancun to Casa de Campo. There are so many great memories from those trips.

The message from Jimmy Buffet and Brenda Schell is clear. Live a LARGE life. Enjoy every day. Do not waste even a minute complaining. Be happy.  Make everyone around you feel good. Give life your full attention.

For one day you will be gone. And none of what you accumulated will go with you. One day your friends will be left with only memories of you. If you lived LARGE, those memories will live forever in the hearts of those you leave behind.