Today is your last
今天是您持續
My mother was a sweet, wonderful pediatric nurse at the University of Wisconsin Hospital for 30 some odd years. In her work, she cared for many a small child that spend there last days alive in her care. She once told me that some of her colleagues treated the kids like they had already passed away. My mother was different. She treated them all like normal little kids. She joked with them, played with them, cared for them as if they were going to be fine. It was a personal philosophy that she held deeply. Many times those children did die. She would be hurt in the short term, but would recover knowing that she helped them in those last days, and not by coddling them, but by playing with them. When her father passed away, I remember that she was sad, but OK. She knew his time was ended, and she had always been open with her father, so nothing was left on the table. She enjoyed the time they had together, and that was more important. We all know people will leave us, through moving to another state or by someone’s death. Accept it. Don’t be scared of it, it is going to happen. You should spend the time you have enjoying one another, because it will end.
In every personal relationship that my mother has (or had) she always said ‘goodbye’ to the friend when they parted as if it was the last time she would see them. It was not because she no longer wanted to see them or talk with them, it was to prevent anything from being held back. The worst tragedy, she once said, is losing someone and saying ‘There is so much I wanted to say to that person’ or ‘I wanted to apologize for something I did to them a long time ago’. If you assume you will never see that person again, you become much more open and honest with that person and yourself. You can sum it up in a short phrase that is nothing short of my own personal mantra, Today is Your Last.
Those who know me understand that I am very honest. Life is too short for me to talk to you in cryptic messages and hope you get what I am trying to say. I detest that entire mentality. Why not just speak the truth? If the person gets offended at your meaning, they would have been offended had they correctly translated your cryptic opine. I tell people that if they do not know my opinion on a topic, it is because they are not paying attention. Yes, some dislike me because of my aplomb, but it might be because they do not have it themselves.
‘Today is your last’ is such a simple concept. Live every day as if it is your last day on this precious Earth. If you do so, and truly hold that mentality dear, you will enjoy every day. You will let go of petty concerns that you have no control over. You let go of grudges against your fellow human being. You learn to take every opportunity to enjoy life. You realize that spending time watching a droll television show is a waste of life energy you will never get back. A conversation with a friend whom you have not seen in months is a much more fruitful use of time. Spend more time with your kids. Stop living to work and start working to live.
No matter how much money you make in your job, there will always be that thing, that material element that is just outside of your financial reach. Whether you make 25K a year or 125K, there will always be that one thing. That is why almost everyone I know want to try to make that little ‘extra’ so they can get that next thing. Everyone is fighting for that almighty dollar. Why? So you can have it when you die? Ummm, sorry, you can’t take it with you.
I laugh at people who hate there jobs and mope about waiting for that day they can retire. Why? Aren’t there things that you want to do know that you might not be able to when you retire? Are you just coasting through life, waiting to start ‘living’ at age 65? What happens if you leave this plane of existence tomorrow? What can you say that you did that you enjoyed. Every day I say to myself, today is a good day to die. Why can I be so morbid sounding? Because I have lived every day as my last. Every day I appreciate that I have been given one more day to enjoy the beautiful bounty given to me. I have lived my life and done almost everything I have ever wanted to do. Some people collect t-shirts, some collect coffee cups, some collect little teddy bears. I collect hobbies.
I have gone through lots of phases of hobbies in the last 5 years. Whether it be abstract art, geocaching, or boatbuilding, I go through phases of what I do for fun. Why does it keep changing? Because I am always looking for new, interesting, fun things to do. Why is that so wrong? I have lots of energy. Yup, why? Because every day I am out having fun. It can be in class, at home with my wife and child or out in the garage building a kayak. My energy, excitement, and forward attitude all come from one place, my vim for life and living every single day as my last.