Dave Freeman, Author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die," Has Passed Away

It is only a coincidence that Dave Freeman died on August 17^th at the young age of 47 after writing the book 100 Things to Do Before You Die. Dave Freeman's father Roy had stated that Freeman died after falling and hitting his head at his home in Venice. 100 Things to Do Before You Die was one of the first books ever written that was based on 100 sites and then to remind people that they are only human. Freeman was only reported actually visiting about half of the destination spots in his book as reported by Los Angeles Times.

I was reminded that time does not go on and that we all will eventually die when my youngest son at the time died over a year ago. My son's death was only the tip of the iceberg of events that would soon follow. Not long after he died my cousin's wife also died and soon followed my husband's cousin. Just when I thought that things were easing up as if they ever really could, a friend of mine had died and then my great-aunt. Soon after my great-aunt died her husband followed and a year later their son would die. Almost a year after all of these events my great-uncle died. It seems like something out of a bad dream but it all happened and it left me feeling like I was bound for more bad luck. Most of these bad events took place within six months from the time that my son died.

I made a promise to myself that I would do whatever I could to allow my children the happiest life that they could have within my abilities. I have often wondered if people like Freeman know something that we don't or if they just had a light bulb go off in their head that told them that we all must face the inevitable someday.

I, too, have a list like Freeman only mine does not go up to 100 things to do before I die, it only goes up to eight but I am proud of this list and believe that everyone should follow.

Be the best parent that I can

My children have had to deal with more than they should have had to at their age and I realized that I wasn't the best parent or at least not the parent that I should be. I changed my habits and I spend more time with them now. I kiss my children goodnight every night because I know that it could be their last and I don't want those tiny moments to slip away.

I am the greatest spouse

I may not be the best person in the world but I am going to be the best spouse that anyone could ever ask for before I die and I don't care if it kills me doing it. My husband is much older than I am but I am grateful for this family that we have built together. I want to be the greatest person that I can and I want my husband to be happy that I am here with him.

The champion role model

I am kicking every habit that I possibly can since I want to be someone that everyone will want to look up too. I may not be a famous celebrity or wrote a book like Dave Freeman but I am still a human and with that I can be a champion role model

The sibling everyone adores

When I was a child I always wanted to be like my older sister. I would follow my sister around and try to be inside of all her little groups of friends. As an adult I will face the music and say that I was annoying not only to her but to the people around her. Now that we are grown up, my sister has become my best friend and we have struggled through life together. I don't want to be the sibling that abandons her brothers or sisters when times get rough, I want to be there through stick and stone.

The best child

My parents got a divorce when I was a child and nothing seemed right while I was growing up. My childhood wasn't blessed like it could have been but now I understand why. I took some things for granted and I am sorry for this but I am making it up by being the best child that I can be. My dad told me that my children would be worse than what I was when I was a child and ever since I had my first, I have been waiting for that day. I do believe that my payback has finally arrived with my two year old who thinks that she owns the world but someday she too will be making a list like this.

The dearest friend

I am sure that Dave Freeman made a lot of friends along the way and I would give anything to have a friend who would stick by my side. My truest friend is my sister and other than her, I don't have many friends. It isn't because I choose not too, it is just that I don't make friends very easily but given the chance I could be the dearest friend that anyone could ever ask for.

The trusting co-worker

One thing that I have learned in this world is that there are a lot of people who just think of themselves and it shouldn't be like this. I work from home so the only co-worker that I actually have is myself other than the people that I communicate with through the internet. Some people say that they must first receive trust to give trust but I say that if this is the way you feel about it then you should actually be the first person to give a hand.

The perfect person

Maybe there is no such thing as the perfect person but I would sure like to try to become that person. If you were to put in all your efforts to become the perfect person you might never accomplish this goal but dreams would start to come true and doors would soon open for you.

No one knows where life will lead us and I believe that Dave Freeman knew this and this is why he wrote the book 100Things to Do Before You Die. There is no secret to living or dying only what you will accomplish while you are here. I hope you take note of what

I wrote and take it to heart so that you can see that life is only what we make of it.