One of my best friends missed my birthday this year. My parents called a day late. My oldest brother forgot my birthday completely (he does most years so I expect it). My sister (who has a daughter born on June 6th as well) totally forgot my birthday this year. A few years ago, no one in my family called. I remember being a little bummed about the year of “the big birthday miss”.

Today would have been my best friend’s birthday. He’s not here to celebrate. The last birthday he celebrated was in 1998, the year he died of cancer. We had a great surprise celebration for him that year. A big group of us gathered at a restaurant on the ocean just north of Daytona Beach where many of us had attended High School. The surprise was on us, however. Bill walked into the restaurant wearing those disgusting looking Bubba teeth and had a wig and hat on. We all cracked up (except one friend who thought cancer had wreaked havoc on his dental work).

Bill had the ability to laugh even through adversity. I am convinced it’s why he extended his life more than four times longer than his doctors gave him to live. It was hell to watch him slowly die but heaven has benefited. After he died, his wife asked me to help in the task of going through some of his things. As I picked up one of his books, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, I noticed a Post-it note with Bill’s writing on it. If you have read the book, you know there is a section in the book where Covey asks the reader to think about his or her own funeral and to write down what they would like others to say about them. Bill had done this long before he knew he had cancer. This is what he wrote:

I want to be remembered as a person who:

• made people laugh and feel good
• was honest and sincere
• cared about others
• made the office a better place to work
• was a good communicator
• was ethical
• wanted the best for everyone
• made the home a happier place

Without question, Bill exemplified these things. He never had to work hard to achieve success in relating with people. It was part of his character naturally. Bill Walter lived more in a short life than most people do in a long one. He loved to laugh and enjoyed making others laugh. He was musical and athletic. He was a great father and a great son, He was a devoted husband and a fantastic friend. It’s been nine years since his last party. Missing a birthday is a bummer. A big bummer.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks
about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover,
increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies. He is founder of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com