What if today was the last day?

I started writing a post about our physical energy when something unexpected happened in my life. And so I decided to share a story with you instead.

The way most of us live is almost an autopilot. We do what we have always done unless something unexpected or extraordinary happens and forces us to change our perspective. It seems to be the extreme situations that may shake the stable ground beneath our feet and wake us up from the usual “half-asleep” lifestyle. It can be winning a lottery or having a baby as well as having a car accident or losing a loved one…

Suddenly, the world seem to be different.

Or rather our perspective on the world (and our life within it) changes.

My uncle has just passed away. After the initial shock was over I found myself contemplating about his legacy, my favorite moments with him, everything he meant to our family, how much he will be missed and what he’ll be remembered for… He was part of my world and now he isn’t here anymore. Thinking about the unique personal footprint he created and death in general made me once again appreciate the value of life and the things we so often take for granted. Then a few questions came to my mind:

If this would be my last day what would I be doing?

Whom would I like to spend my time with?

Is the way I am using my energy today worthwhile?

The tricky thing is none of us knows when everyone’s last day is…

Although I try my best to leave as few unresolved issues, unanswered requests or unfinished arguments as possible I now realized just how much more is at stake. It’s not only about doing all the things but also treating love and gratitude in every relationship with the same attitude!

What if there is no second chance of telling someone what they mean to me or how much I love them?

Why to hold off to express our positive feelings if there might simply be no other opportunity to share them? I also realized that as emotionally charged as such extreme situations might be they contain an opportunity. They give us a chance to review our priorities and adjust the course of our life if needed.

And my main point is we don’t even need to wait for such exceptional situations to bring our attention back to the fundamentals. In any moment we can put things into perspective by this simple question:

What if today was the last day?