"You Don't Know What You Have Until It's Gone"

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

The month of April was a roller coaster, to say the least. As April 30th bleeds into May 1st, we reminisce on the month of April 2014 and look forward to what's to come in the month of May 2014. From everything that happened this month, especially the abrupt deaths of Ultimate Warrior and Daniel Bryan's father, many people will be quick to call if "one of the worst in recent memory". One trait that many people have is to immediately look at the negative in things. Well, what about the positive? WrestleMania 30 was a spectacle, as was the next night's Raw, and the wrestling world is really starting to feel fresh and fun again. Of course, plenty of other notable happenings have occurred outside the squared circle, but I'm merely pointing out the positives of wrestling because it's what I know. Regardless, it's been a memorable month filled with many life lessons learned.

Did you know? The title of this blog, "Injection of Inspiration", stems from something Warrior used to say all the time in his YouTube videos. I wasn't a wrestling fan during the '80s. Hell, I wasn't even alive in the '80s! Thus, I was not a fan of The Ultimate Warrior around the time of most people. Warrior may not be one of my favorite wrestlers of all-time, but he is undoubtedly one of my biggest inspirational icons of all-time. It wasn't what he did in the ring that inspired me (though the Ultimate Warrior is indeed inspiring) but rather what the person said and did in his YouTube videos. Yes, he often posted controversial content due to being an outspoken person, but he inspired and motivated people with his words of wisdom. I fully believe that I wouldn't have the optimistic outlook on life that I have now had it not been for Warrior and his frequent injections of inspiration.

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However, this piece isn't meant to be a memorial for Warrior. It's instead about his shocking death and what it means. Mere days before his passing, Warrior took his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame, made an appearance at WrestleMania 30 and returned to Raw for the first time in 18 years. Over the course of that weekend, Warrior made amends with many people he had burned bridges with in the past including the likes of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Jake Roberts and especially Vince McMahon. So, though his passing was very unfortunate, many have said (myself included) that there was no better way to go out than the way he did: on top.

Warrior held many grudges following his falling out with WWE, but in one weekend, many of those real-life rivalries were put to rest. He died a happy man as a husband and a father of two beautiful girls, and that's all that matters. Of course, his wife and two kids are now without a husband and father, but Warrior's way of life and spirit will live on... *snorts* forever!!!! In all seriousness, Warrior's death was a prime example of how many people should live life, and that is without regrets.

It's weird because a week or so before Daniel Bryan's father passed away abruptly, Bryan was doing an interview for the media, and he mentioned that he doesn't get to see his dad that much and he regrets not spending more time with him (due to being on the road with WWE). Unfortunately, Bryan was never able to make it up to his dad as he went on his honeymoon with Brie Bella immediately after the wedding. That wasn't a case of having a grudge or anything like that, but even the passing of Bryan's father is another example is that you shouldn't live thinking "I should have done this" or "I should have done that". Instead, take pride in what you have done and right any wrongs you might have made in your lifetime so you can carry on in your life with a clear conscious.

Prior to writing this post, I was listening to Jim Ross' podcast (check it out if you haven't already, it's great) and he repeated several times over that, "Tomorrow isn't guaranteed," and he couldn't have been more right with that statement. As much as you may you think you know the world, you don't and you'll never be certain what it will bring. Like with Warrior (who I personally believe did not know his death was imminent), you never know what might happen and today might end up being your last day on earth. Now, I don't mean to sound grim or negative, but J.R. is right: nothing is ever guaranteed, not even tomorrow.

With that in mind, take the time to think about a few things. First of all, if you were to die tomorrow, what legacy will you be living behind? What will people remember you for? Most importantly, would you die a happy person? Granted, you might not have been able to accomplish every one of your goals before your passing, but did you at least die knowing that you were at peace with the world and didn't have any regrets? All decisions are made for a reason, so to me, there is no such thing as a "regret", so don't feel bad about something you did. Obviously, in that moment, you did what you did and no matter how terrible it makes you feel thinking about it, there's nothing you can do to change it. Thus, its better to move on with your life, live happy and try to better the situation as best you can.

Secondly, are you at odds with anyone at the moment? If so, do your best to fix that and make amends with any adversaries you might have. Granted, it might not be the easiest thing to do (it might even be impossible), but at least make an attempt. You'll feel better knowing you patched things up and won't live with doubt and regret thinking "I should have never done this" or "I should have apologized sooner." What if the roles were reversed and that person you burned a bridge with passed away? Wouldn't you feel bad that you weren't able to make it up to them and now you'll never be able to because they're gone? Think about that for a second and realize that burying the hatchet with people is the smartest course of action to take whether you continue to live a long, healthy life or if you were to die tomorrow.

I have said this in past posts, but the most important thing you can do in this kind of situation is simply be appreciative of what you have. Tell your parents you love them every once in a while and how much you appreciate them for everything they have done/still do for you. I'm sure it would mean a lot to them. Not to make you paranoid or depressed or anything along those lines, but you never know what might happen. This world is filled with unpredictability. Never take anything, especially life itself, for granted. Live every day as if it were your last on earth, accomplish great things and be thankful for everything you've experienced in your lifetime. The next time you see someone you care for, think about if they were to die tomorrow. Think about how you might have taken them for granted and how you'd feel bad if they passed away because you didn't spend as much time with them as you would've liked. You'll mourn over their death, but take the time now to appreciate them while they (and you) are still here. As the old saying goes, you never know what you have until it's gone.