🌠When tomorrow is just too late

Ever wake up one morning and say to yourself:

“Jeepers self, what a wonderful day it is to be alive!”

Well, chances are… by the time you’ve reached my age (several centuries old), you probably instead say to yourself:

“Jeepers self, ache ache groan groan I suppose if I tried reeeeeeeeallly hard, i could actually manage to lever myself out of bed and start the day…”

Yep, that’s generally the way most of my days begin. But then again, any day above ground ensures you’re one step ahead of the game!

I was reminded of this early today, when the news came across all Star Trek boards that the actor Aron Eisenberg from Deep Space 9… passed away.

Now, Aron portrayed the character of Nog, a Ferengi teenager. Prior to DS9, Ferengi were portrayed as a caricature of Capitalism At All Costs (to the point of buffoonery). But in Deep Space 9, the Ferengi character was fleshed out to an incredible degree, moving more towards savvy businessfolk.

Thing is… one of the Rules of Acquisition stated that a “Ferengi without profit is not a Ferengi at all.” Meaning that if a Ferengi was beyond pathetic at generating income… such a being was less than nothing at all.

Well, Nog realized back in Season 3 (he appeared in all 7 seasons) that like his father, he was incompetent at business BUT… he deeply believed he had something to offer… if only he could be given a chance. And to gain that chance, he took a chance and asked the commanding officer:

“….
SISKO: You’re a Ferengi. Why would you want to be in Starfleet? Where’s the profit in it?

NOG: I don’t care about profit.

SISKO: Then what do you care about? Come on, Nog, tell me. Why is it so damned important for you to get into Starfleet? Why are you doing this?

NOG: Because I don’t want to end up like my father.

SISKO: Your father.

NOG: That’s right. My father. He’s been chasing profit his whole life, and what has it gotten him? Nothing. And you know why? Because he doesn’t have the lobes. And neither do I.

SISKO: And a Ferengi without profit …

NOG: Is no Ferengi at all.

SISKO: The eighteenth Rule of Acquisition.

NOG: My father is a mechanical genius. He could’ve been Chief Engineer of a starship if he’d had the opportunity. But he went into business, like a good Ferengi. The only thing is, he’s not a good Ferengi, not when it comes to acquiring profit. So now all he has to live for is the slim chance that someday, somehow, he might be able to take over my uncle’s bar. Well, I’m not going to make the same mistake. I want to do something with my life. Something worthwhile.

SISKO: Like joining Starfleet.

NOG: I may not have an instinct for business, but I have my father’s hands and my uncle’s tenacity. I know I’ve got something to offer, I just need the chance to prove it.”

Nog’s character development arc over the entire series is breathtaking to behold and one of the true gems of Deep Space 9.

But I digress.

Like I said, the actor who portrayed him passed away. And thousands upon thousands of messages were shared in social media, lamenting about such a loss.

And that made me think. Tomorrow truly IS never guaranteed, you know.

You could be hit by a low-flying asteroid and leave this plane of existence today.

Tell me now.

If that did happen….

Do the people whom you love… know it?

When was the last time you told them that?

Hmmm?

You see, so often we’re so involved with business or dealing with chronic pain or handling character-building episodes times 39487589376 that we forget about what makes life *really* worth living.

And that, of course, is those we love.

So if you think to yourself, well, tomorrow I’ll tell my family how much I love them…

You might be too late. True, such a possibility is something very unlikely but hey.

Why take the chance?

Thus, tonight, heck, today, heck, right now…

Tell those you love that well, you *love* them and their presence in your life is something that makes you smile deep inside, and in your heart.

Virtually guaranteed… they will love to hear that.

Enjoy!

Rest in Peace, Aron Eisenberg … Captain Nog is requested on the bridge.
1969 – 2019