If you knew that you had one day left to live in life, how would you spend it?
Have you ever pondered this question? I know I have. Life is already too short, but I’ve tried to imagine if I suddenly knew I only had 24 hours left to live, how would I use the precious moments that remained?
There are infiniteness answers to this question and for each individual that may be posed it, they would vary. Some might party like it’s 1999 as Prince once said. Others might cry profusely and spend their last moments being depressed and alone. Then there’s those who might spend a ton of money and buy lavish things or travel to an exotic locale. There’s also those who might call all their close friends and family and tell them how much their loved. And of course there may even be some who might seek forgiveness from all all those they had hurt throughout their lives, before it becomes too late. Those are just some of all the possible paths that people might follow in their final moments alive on Earth.
While I’m not sure I know what I’d exactly do in my last hours of life if I knew I was in them, I can say for sure I know what I wouldn’t do. I’ve had many people ask me if I would ever consider breaking my sobriety if I knew I was going to die imminently. My answer to them then and now is still the same; no. Why would I want to spend my final remaining moments being numb when I’ve worked so hard in my life to go in the exact opposite direction. I can also say that I probably wouldn’t go spend a ton of money either because that never brought me much happiness in any point of my life. But if I really was to make a serious gander at what I would want to do in the final day of my life, I have a pretty good idea of what it could be only because I believe I’m already doing it.
Today, I try to look at every day, ever hour, every minute, and every second, as if it were my final moments to live. Because of that, I tell those I care about, that I love them every single time I part company or hang up the phone at the end of a conversation with them. I do my best to be selfless and giving, and also kind and considerate to any person I come across. I really work hard to remain free of judgment of things I see around me that my ego doesn’t like. I ask for forgiveness when I make mistakes because I still do make them at times. And I strive to free myself of all anger and resentments towards everyone and everything because both are poison to my soul. All of this is different from how I used to be as for the longest time in my life, I was extremely selfish and self-centered. I hurt people because I was hurt. I sought after misery and created even more of it, in and around me. So when I lost people, like my parents, to sudden deaths and was left to ponder my final moments with them, the memories that I was left with were usually of me fighting or arguing with them or being completely caught up in my selfishness. I lived with much regret for the longest of time over this until I finally made a promise to myself that I was going to do everything I could to becoming healthier, more loving, and totally devoted to God.
Through all that hard work, I really do take each day now as if it could be the last for either myself or anyone else that I may come across. If it really was going to be mine or someone else’s final day, the last thing I would want to do is fill it with anything else but light and love. So the next time you might find yourself in an argument with someone, ask yourself what if this was your’s or their’s last day alive? Would that fight you’re having be worth it then? I know what my answer would be.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
