What would you do if you were told you were going to die soon?
This might be a very heavy topic for people. Not me, maybe it's because I'm growing older, but it doesn't bother me to talk about death.
The Death card in the Tarot is not an ominous card; it represents change. The end to a natural cycle of life. It's just change; and what this change will be exactly is what mankind has been trying to figure out. There are as many different theories about what happens to us at death as there are religions. Death is a part of life. There is no escaping this event. I think we all worry about how we will go not "if". I certainly don't want to suffer or have something traumatic happen.
So if I was told I would die soon, I would assume that I have some amount of time left. I would start taking risks, spending money, taking trips and then start saying my goodbyes. I would make sure that the people I love know that I love them. I would want to experience as much of life as I could, I would not sit around being sad, crying or being depressed.
**EPIPHANY**
Why not start all this now?
Death in inevitable.
I need to start living every day like it was my last!
Of course I would love to read what you would do if you were told you were going to die soon. Please share your thoughts.
10 comments:
since I have already faced death once (age 35, cancer), I take chances, live my life the way I see fit, fuck the world I don't give a fat rat's ass if it's conventional or not.
there is an old song lyric by blood sweat and tears that goes
I'm not scared of dying
and I don't really care
if it's peace you find in dying
well then let the time be near
and I don't really care; I'm going to live to be 100 (currently age 56)!
Jim,
A great question. Since I turned 69 years old a few months ago and experiencing the recent death of my Mother around the same time I have been thinking a lot more a bout my eventual death. Like you, I don't fear death as such but I am concerned how I die. I do not want to die a traumatic death of die a long and lingering death. If I received a death notice tomorrow my very first concern would to get my information in order for my sister-in-law to take care of all my personal finances since my partner does not know how to do that. Then I would get a tape recorder and record as much as I can remember of my life so my personal history will be on record for whoever is taking over my genealogical responsibilities. Then I would give away as many personal items as I could to those who I want to receive them. Once all the details are taken care of, then I would go about my life exactly as I am going about it now. I work part-time, I spend time with my partner, I blog, I research genealogy, and I read. I would not take any special trips to see the world because I'm going to be dead anyway so what's to remember? Also, I don't have the need to tell those who I love and care about, they know that already because I tell them so every day. Like you, I would not sit around being sad, crying or being depressed. I agree with you that death is just one more step on our journey. It just happens to be the last step.
Jim: Great Question...
I, like anne marie, have faced death (well sorta)... I had my Heart Attack on February 14, 2005... It changed the way I think about living, forever...
I came out totally in October that year, reduced my stress levels, at work and at home, moved out, stayed single for about a year to try out the new "wheels" and eventually fell in love again...
The "just" of my comment is: I am living my life every day like it's my last. Although if I had won the Mega Millions last night, that would have changed a little. Hehehehe....
Love ya Dude!
Tom
I don't know how I could possibly answer this question better than you did. It's a perfect answer from my perspective.
I'm thinking along the same lines as you as far as what would I do. It's not something I've thought a lot about, but every now and again the thought crosses my head as to what I would do if I knew when. Would I do anything different than I do now?
Good answer, Jim. The only thing I think I would do different is quit my job now so i could spend more time enjoying the things I enjoy...it's the only part of my life I truly dislike and resent...having to go to work and spend the majority of my day here in a cubicle...but I like to think I do live very much in the moment and try to take advantage of every moment and opportunity to spend time with people I care about, do the things I love doing and tell people constantly how much they mean to me. Perhaps because my health issues have caused me to lay dormant for large periods of my life missing out on the world and seeing the people I love and being in pain, when I am healthy and awake, I try to pack in everything I can and see everyone I can as much as I can. It might sound corny to say "live every day is if it were your last" but to some extent, we should...burn that candle, drink that wine, smoke that cigar, make a pass at the guy, go to that restaurant, go on that vacation, spend that special occasion money, see that show, join that class...do it all now and enjoy it and be glad for it..tomorrow may never come
I'm not scared of death. If I know my role on the Earth will soon come to an end, I'll inform my friends on Facebook and bloggosphere, arrange things for my funeral. I don't need to write my will because all my belongings will normally go to my parents. I don't have anything else to regret or to enjoy. I don't wanna anyone to be sad. I came to the Earth with a cry so I will (wanna) leave it with a smile.
Jim, I don't think I'd change very much. The people I do see, I'd make sure to see more often(especially my adoptive nieces and nephews), and the bloggers I want to meet I'd want to make sure that was squared away too. Maybe Stan and I would get some travel out of that. I'd want to make sure Stan would be okay legally/financially, which shouldn't be a problem. I would want to make sure the specific people who are supposed to look out for him after I was gone knew I was dying and that they needed to step up. The most important thing I guess would be to continue enjoy the moments I had left, no matter who I was with or where I was.
I'd probably throw all my time re-learning how to play the guitar and drums - it's my greatest passion!
I am late to this one;
I would stop working, and get everything in order, as if I were packing up to move - nothing left undone. I would write a lot of notes to be mailed after I go.
Then, I would go see Paris.
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