If today was your last day…

Last night my friend Bill Lublin posted on his Facebook page, “Always tell people you love them, because you may not get the chance tomorrow!” Partly in jest, I posted as my status update, “Love you all!”

I am not usually allowed to play Nickelback songs – my daughter dislikes them – but I like this song, even if it’s a little preachy. I am at the age, though, where what Bill posted is especially meaningful. More than half of the coinage that makes up my life has been spent, likely much more. I have lost friends and family to death, lost more to attrition.

What happens when you get to the age where you know you can’t make a bucket list because all you have left is a Dixie Cup?

Does that help a person prioritize, or does it create a feeling of despair? These are things I have been mulling over, given my age, I guess, and the fact that now when I look at life and try to define it it seems less like something made of steel that I can bend and shape into something I want, and more like something fragile, made of glass maybe. I am no longer interested in settling or trying to make things work or enduring. Some of these things need to happen within the context of responsible adulthood, but real life doesn’t come with badges.

My dad was 64 when he died. If I die at the same age, that’s 14 more years to try to make this world a better place, to set an example for my children by the life I choose to lead. 14 more years to choose to be happy regardless of circumstances.

I want to die with a smile, not a pocketful of badges.

And bucket lists are fun, but what you do with the 86,400 seconds that you are given each day is more important. I will try to fill my Dixie Cup with Guinness and enjoy the sunset, regardless of whether I am looking at it in the Caribbean or over a snowbank in Massachusetts.

Oh, and I love you all. Did I say that before?

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Comments

Diane Brooks says:

October 8, 2010 at 9:55 am

I think of this much lately as my uncle is very sick, most likely terminal and it’s the anniversary of my brother in law’s death to suicide…if today was my last I would be sure to say I LOVE YOU to all my great friends and family…we should say it more any way and this thing that people say that the LOVE word is overused is beyond my comprehension…thanks so much Diane for sharing this..I LOVE YOU and this song is one of my faves…

Diane says:

October 8, 2010 at 1:01 pm

I love you too, and am so sorry that you are having such a hard time because of your uncle.

Paul Donoghue says:

October 14, 2010 at 8:29 am

Diane,

So, yesterday, I was following #agentrb on twitter and caught one of your tweets, which led me to your card.ly, checked out your Google profile (hey, I don’t have one of those) and found your article above. Can you tell that I like to chase bright shiny objects? ;D

Without a doubt, of your posts I’ve read, this is one of your best. I believe that the thoughts you’ve shared strike a common chord with many of us. There aren’t many willing to share these types of deep thoughts in such a public way, and I want to thank you for doing so.

I’ve found that the great thing about getting older is that we’re better able to focus on what’s really important, and we’ve either learned to or have become more aware that we control our beliefs. I heard a quote the other day, “The brain believes what you tell it the most, whether you believe it or not.” It reminded me of the importance of self talk, and our incredible ability to program the mind to achieve that which is most important to us … the things that evoke our deepest emotions.

BTW, I would love to see the size of the Dixie cup you’re referring to, because most of us view it as a trough.

Diane, I really am impressed with your work. One of these days, you have to share your daily routine/schedule, so that the rest of us can figure out how you’re able to appear to be in so many places/posts so often.

Thank you for doing what you do …

Paul

Colleen Kulikowski says:

October 20, 2010 at 3:24 pm

Diane — wow an important reminder… Having Lost Joe Ferrara and Laurie Manny this year it is so very important to tell those that are important to you that you love them. Great reminder!

October 20, 2010 at 4:18 pm

This was a hard year.

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