“If you only had twenty-four hours left to live, what would you do?”
It’s one of those hypothetical questions people often ask themselves (or others) to determine whether they’re following their hearts, living their passions, or leaving a meaningful impact. At the end of our lives, we want to be able to look back over the years with a sense of accomplishment, of having made a difference. We want to be remembered for the good we brought to others.
The other day I was asked that question: “If you only had twenty-four hours to live…”
As much as we might wish it weren’t true, we all reach a point in our lives where we’re left with only twenty-four hours to live. And right now, there are people making plans for tomorrow without realizing they’re going to die today…
It’s cliché to say “Live each moment like it’s your last,” and there are hundreds of similar phrases, all telling us the same thing. But rare are the moments when we actually pause to appreciate how fortunate we are to have been able to grace this strange and wonderful planet, to have had the opportunity to leave a mark. Too often we’re caught up in the minutiae of daily life to acknowledge just how blessed we really are simply to be able to take in this breath at exactly this moment.
A diagnosis, an accident, an undetected medical problem…in an instant, life can (and eventually will) change for each of us. And while we’re all planning for a bright future ahead, some of us won’t be there to see it. None of us are promised a tomorrow. Are you living your life today like you might not see tomorrow? Because you just never know…you might not.
Appreciate your gift.
Hundred Goals | Inspiration to Live Your Dream 
Wow, look who is getting all poetic all of a sudden! Lovely post Steven :)
This is a very nicely worded post, Steven. Few of us realize how lucky we are to have this gift called life. Once you do realize it, job number one should be to make the biggest impact you can. I think you made a big impact today….
So true. Some people really don’t know how little of time they have left. I work in a hospital and it can surprise me when I call a floor and talk to the charge nurse and they’ll tell me they just had a patient die on them. Sometimes it will be a patient who was just fine several hours beforehand. It just makes me sit up and take notice of my own life and pushes me to do everything I want before it is my turn.