Live each day as if it were your last.

Isn’t that what they always say? But what if it wasn’t *your* last day. What if it was someone else’s? Would you still treat that day with the same spontinuity? Live, laugh, and love like there would be no tomorrow?

Or would you handle it differently?

Each day, we wake up. We take for granted the roof over our heads, the cup of coffee awaiting us on the counter, the smile of our loved ones as we greet them. But somewhere in the world, be it next door or thousands of miles away, there is someone waking up, grabbing their cup of coffee and then realizing...
Realizing that their wife hasn’t awaken yet. Realizing their husband didn’t come home last night. Realizing that their child isn’t blasting their rock and roll music from the bathroom stereo.
At first they think it’s odd. Then they look at the calendar, just to ensure that today is the day that their wife had that seven o’clock meeting at the office. Just checking to see if last night was the night that their husband was supposed to come home from that business trip. Even doing a double-take to make sure that it is a school day.
And then they stave off the panic further with thoughts such as; “Maybe her meeting was canceled.” “Perhaps his trip was extended, and he didn’t call because he didn’t want to wake me.” “Maybe the kids alarm didn’t go off.”
Then they’ll go into the bedroom, or make the phone call, or check their childs alarm clock.

And then they can’t deny it any longer.

Their loved one is dead.

And then, after the relatives have been notified, and the plans for a funeral are being set in motion, there is a brutal moment of silence in their lives. A moment when their last words, or last touch, or last day with their loved one is relived.
And they wonder why.
“Why didn’t I kiss her goodnight?”
“Why didn’t I tell him I loved him?”
“Why did I yell at her?”

Why

Why

Why


“Why did this happen”


Then they’ll beat themselves up with these thoughts. Then they’ll think, “If only I knew. I could’ve done it differently...”

There’s a song that I’m sure almost everyone has heard. It’s by Tim McGraw, and it’s titled “Live Like You Were Dying”. And it’s a great song. It’s got a great point, it’s wonderfully sung, and the melencholy hopefulness of it is beautiful.
But the lyrics should be changed. Not all of them, just one line:

Live like love was dying

Because it’s all fine and dandy if you go out and do everything you wanted to do before you died...but I know every one of us would change our plans if it was our family, friends, and lovers that were dying.
So go change your plans, and live each day as if it was your loved ones last.