Thoughts from the Country: Live Like You Were Dying

Ginter Botanical Garden  Copyright 2012: singeronthesand

Each day is God's gift.  Make the most of each one!

Whatever turns up, grab it and do it.  And heartily!

This is your last and only chance at it,

for there's neither work to do nor thought to think in the

company of the dead, where you're most certainly headed. 

Ecclesiastes 9:9-10

How many times have you said, "You know, I really need to do this..." and then promptly put it aside to do "later," "tomorrow," and probably never.  Letters that need to be written, cards sent, telephone calls made, hugs given, I Love You's said, help offered, forgiveness granted, exercise started.  My father used to tell me that most people take the old saying, "Never put off `till tomorrow what you can do today" and turn it on its head: Never do today what you can put off `till tomorrow.  When it comes to something that requires a little thought and effort, we are a race of procrastinators.

Tim McGraw's wonderful song, Live Like You Were Dying speaks right to my heart.  What would I do if, at my next appointment, my oncologist told me that my cancer had returned and that my condition was terminal?  I can guarantee you that many of the "necessary activities" that clog my day would be gone in a heartbeat.  The money that I spend on frivilous, unimportant junk would be carefully saved toward doing those things that had suddenly risen to the top of the list.  The theme of McGraw's song is, "I hope you get a chance to live like you were dying."  I believe that is a worthy goal for all of us.

He said "I was finally the husband,
"That most the time I wasn’t.
"And I became a friend 

a friend would like to have.
"And all of a sudden goin' fishin’,
"Wasn’t such an imposition,
"And I went three times 

that year I lost my Dad.
"Well, I finally read the Good Book,
"And I took a good long hard look,
"At what I'd do if I could do it all again,
"And then: 

"I went sky diving, 

I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds 

on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
And he said: "Some day, 

I hope you get the chance,

To live like you were dying."