For the last few weeks, I have been a tad caught up in an area I hoped I would never have to deal with. The dreaded “C” word.

No, not me, my 84 year old mother was initially diagnosed with pneumonia on Australia Day and this turned rapidly into lung cancer. This meant many trips to and from home in Mandurah one hour south of Perth, to visit her in hospital, organise things and then finally, today, to take her home.

Thankfully, the prognosis is reasonably good, but the next few chemo sessions in a couple of weeks will tell the full story.

The alternative is pretty nasty – terminal in fact, and it got me thinking.

We have all heard of bucket lists and the like – a term I personally dislike as I feel it is an acceptance of finality when you decide to that. And I don't mean any disrespect to anyone when I say that; it is purely my personal view. But I’d like to think positive and suggest that this episode has made me realise the procrastinations of putting off writing “the best ever book” or filming “the best ever movie” or any of those creative dreams we have should not be put off.

Just go and do it. Life is too short to allow ourselves to get to the point where we might say, “If only I had ....”