For the most part we don't often thin about death or how close it is to all of us at any given point in time. That is until a phone call comes from out of the blue.

A bit of history before I continue. I was living abroad for a number of years, not always with the means to jump on a flight home when I wanted to. During one of these times I got a call that something bad had happened at work with my father. He sustained a chemical burn that triggered a mild heart attack that was not noticed. Later he had a full blown one that required him to undergo bypass surgery.

It was the most helpless I had felt ever. I could go home, couldn't be there for my Mom who was left to deal with it on her own. In some ways that made it all seem less real. Today is different.

I got a call in a meeting today from a close family friend telling me that my father had to leave work via ambulance with pain in his arm, light headdedness and difficulty breathing. It was happening again. The twist is that my Mom is here visiting and doesn't know yet.

Needless to say, I left work and am now on my way home, while waiting for more information so I can figure out how to tell her. Then what?

As I sit here absorbing the situation, I am feeling the way I did on 9/11, realizing how fragile our lives are and how easy it is that we all take our existance for granted.

I am sure the next 24 to 48 hours are going to be tough, but somehow we will make it through. I guess that is just the eternal optimist in me.