A Reminder on What's REALLY Important

I almost lost my dad last Tuesday. He had an accident. A big one.

There are a few things that hit you like a baseball bat in the head, and I can say that this was one of them. My dad is ok now. He's back at home, resting... recovering. He broke a few bones in his ribs, aside from a few cuts and bruises. It could have been worse. He is very lucky. I am very grateful.

When I heard the news at the end of my day in the office last week, I felt a scare I've never ever felt before. I was told he had an accident in SCTEX driving his S500 with my uncle at 4pm. The formula: SCTEX + S500 + 4pm told me that the accident is not your usual city traffic accidents.

True enough, the road accident was a major one. While at very high speeds his front right tire burst, virtually locking the steering wheel to the right and brought the car to crash to the right railings (or should I say flew over it) and did several flips before stopping several meters away from the road.

I ended up trying to get updates from medical choppers, driving to a hospital in Angeles, stayed with him until the next morning after all the tests were made.

I almost lost my dad last Tuesday. He is ok now. He is very lucky. I am very grateful.

I've lost a lot of things already in my line of work. I've lost great people, I've lost friends. I've lost businesses. I've lost money. I've lost sales. I've lost deals. But nothing, I repeat NOTHING can compare to almost losing someone you love. Suddenly, I had better perspective of things.

I do not have a perfect relationship with my dad, in fact it's a bit on the bumpy side. I've always been quite rebellious and this was always in conflict with my conservative dad. Suddenly, it didn't matter. As I took the rainy 2-hour drive to Angeles last Tuesday, my mind wondered the many things he did for me and my brothers all these years, and the wisdom embedded in them.

He used to bring me to his trips to Hong Kong when I was in grade school - an early exposure to International Business I'd say. He made me watch, maybe observe how he worked the typewriter to fulfill the orders my mom closed as they started their business - an early exposure to work ethic. He made sure he brought me and my brothers to school in the morning every single day - he knew his priorities early on, he could have easily gotten a driver for us.

As you work your calendar this week, as you fill your schedules with meetings and meetings... and more meetings. I hope you take time out to ask why you do it. Where does your family fit in?

My dad was given another chance at life. I was given a lesson on what's important. I am lucky that I am given the opportunity in the next days and years to thank him more, to love him more. To show my kids who their father's father is. To continue his work and be instrumental in helping more people.

What was left of the car after flipping several times.

How far the car was from the road