My dad died before he could retire. It shifted the way I approach life.

My dad died before he could retire. It shifted the way I approach life.

The author (far right) with her family.Courtesy of the authorLosing my dad and uncle before they hit retirement made me realize that "someday" isn't promised.Instead of waiting, my family and I chose to live fully, right now.That mindset shaped our parenting, our traditions, and even our children's futures.By the time I was in my early 20s, life had already shown me that it doesn't always wait for later. My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 esophag…