Someone died last night. Really insignificant in the grand scheme of things I suppose. I mean; the world kept on rolling. The band went right on playing on the deck of the Titanic, while for one more person the world just stopped.
No matter what beliefs you may ascribe to, where you think you end up or start over, death is the end as far as this shell goes. The body stops. In many cases it is as natural as birth.
The saddest endings, the hard ones, are the premature ones. Those times when a sick or injured machine ceases to operate. Yes, with exception of the idea of a soul, man is no more than a beautiful machine.
We wear out, we tear up, we malfunction and parts are expensive and hard to replace. Manufacturer recalls suck. So with this in mind, why is death such a guilt-ridden sorrowful experience? If we are only here for a limited engagement, why is it such a shock when we take our final bow? It should be rather matter of fact, why feel bad?
Well, if you believe in God, the Bible says we aren’t promised our next breath, and this life is all about catching that temporarily delayed plane to the next life. If reincarnation is your bag, you have a return ticket as a reborn amnesiac in a new body. Yet, no one guarantees you get to be you in your life until you get tired.
We have a lot less control than we would like to think.
We are operating on a clock, and we don’t get to see what time it is. Our life is a great celestial stopwatch with no hands.
Yet all of us know this. The end has been around from the beginning. Every culture has its ways of saying goodbye to their broken machines. Yet for all our knowledge, we treat our fellow man as if they aren’t going anywhere.
How many times have we used angry words, stormed away or sent others packing, only to realize what we had done, just in time to call or kiss or beg to make up. Many times this is a natural process, like brushing your teeth, walking the dog, as if it were on our cosmic list of things to do. The offhand way we treat the ones we know and love, hits home when there is no longer a chance to rectify, that one time when making up just can’t be done.
Just think of everything that we take for granted. How many times have we put off a phone call, canceled a date, got in a fight about what restaurant and decided not to talk to each other. How many hurtful words have we said, just because of bruised egos and injured pride.
Think for a second. What if this was your last day on earth.
Your estate is taken care of, all legal obligations met. You have 24 hours, free of responsibility, nothing more is required of you. The next morning you simply fall over and die an instant, painless death.
If today were that day, what would you do? Are there apologies to make, words to say, good byes to convey? Perhaps a last wish? One last “I love you?”
I submit to you: today might just be that day. Every second is a precious, irretrievable chance to set things straight.
Live everyday as if it were your last and every day will be your best.
The clock is ticking. Soon, someone will say of you and me, “someone died last night.

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