That's why I think 'Ichigo-ichie is such a great phrase.

"We met thanks to our mutual friend. He, he was such a sweet boy. But he had a terrible disease and he passed away."
"Yeah, he had lymphoma. This kid, he was the greatest guy I ever knew. He never said anything bad about any one. He loved soccer and he had done it all his life. So even when he found out that he had lymphoma, he didn't wine a bit and just kept on fighting the disease. Even after he had to amputate his leg in order to live on, he didn't say a word and just started looking for ways he could play soccer with his artificial leg. You see, he wanted to play in the World Cup that was coming up, that was his goal. But just then he found out that the cancer had spread to different parts of his body. When the best doctor in this country told him that he didn't have long to live, he finally said one thing... that he didn't want to die. 
After that, I kept asking myself, 'Why didn't I call him that day' or 'Why I didn't I go say hi to him when I could.' Well, I just thought that I could see him again any time. But now I can't. That just tells you how important it is to be thankful for every moment you have because you never know what will happen in the next. That's why I think 'Ichigo-ichie (once-in-a-lifetime encounter)' is such a great phrase. And it's not a cheap one either."


（9/14/2013 Sangenjyaya）