Life is too short.
Today is a day you will never get back.
Tomorrow is never promised...
All familiar sayings, and great tweetable one-liners, but do we really live like they are true? I heard a captivating thought one morning on my way to work and it has never left me since. Ill ask you the very same question.
If you found out you only had 24 hours left to live, how would you live it?
I heard it worded another thought-provoking way when watching Zack Sobiech's video "My Last Days" and again, I'll make the same statement to you.
You don't have to find out you're dying to start living.
On November 11, 2008 the world lost one of the most amazing women who, in my opinion, has ever lived. And I had the honor of calling her my Memaw. To sum her up, read Proverbs 31:10-31. She was exactly that. One of the most remarkable things about my Memaw, aside from how she lived her life, was how she left it.
Impacting.
Inspiring.
Motivating.
Loving.
Encouraging.
Thought-provoking.
Heart-changing.
If you had 24 hours left to live, could you say that the way you lived your life inspired someone to be happier? To love harder? To care more? To make a better decision? To make a difference?
Could you say that after your time on earth is done that your legacy will still be inspiring others to live a better life? A life lived like they only had 24 hours left?
Last night I took a lady named Gladys out to dinner. If you are reading this blog you probably already know all about her, because you got here from clicking a link on another social media page- and Lord knows I've posted something about Gladys every time I spend time with her. Why? Because she inspires me. And even more awesome than that, my posts about her I've been told have inspired others. She inspires people who have never even met her. I want to live like that.
She will be 96 on July 10 so she's got a lot of life in her rear view. She lives in a nursing home and is legally blind. She has no real freedom because she can't drive. She can't write, she can't dial numbers on the phone, she cant stand for long because her back hurts, she can't walk long distances without oxygen and taking breaks because her ankle bothers her. She relies on nurses (whoaren't nice) for most every thing. She lost her husband of 49 years and 5 months in 1986 (and says she misses him like it happened yesterday). One of her daughters has taken pretty much everything she had and doesn't ever call or visit, the other comes and sees her once a week. She has a total of 13 grand/great/great-great grandkids but doesn't know the last time she saw or heard from any of them, except through a thank you card (that she can't read without waiting on someone to read it to her) from HER sending something to THEM (despite their lack of thoughtfulness). She has a sister and a brother that she can't see because they're all pretty much in the same situation. She can't get to church (which she said is the thing she wishes she could do most) and she's stuck in a nursing home every single day with just windows to see the outside world... Ok, You get the point. But the awesome thing about Gladys is you would never know any of those things unless she tells you (never complaining, just talking) Because she's so humble and happy... always. She will say when things have hurt her feelings, or if she misses her husband, freedom, etc. but never complains. She always makes it clear that she's lived a great life and has no regrets. Key word: no regrets. In 96 years of life... No regrets?! That's admirable. I want to be able to say when I'm at the end of my rope, that I've made the most of every opportunity, loved as best as I could, encouraged as much as I could, been as thoughtful as I possibly could and been the best me that I could... To the point where I have no regrets.
Stop living like you have forever, and start living like you only have 24 hours left. Don't put off for tomorrow what you could get done today. Don't put off right now what should have been done yesterday.
Make the phone call
Send the text message
Say the apology
End the argument
Stop the bitterness
Do something nice for someone
Make a change
Be an encourager
Be happy
Seize the moment
Do your best
BE your best
Live like you're in the last 24 hours of your life.
Live like Memaw.
Live like Gladys.
Xoxo,
Meg
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