This Could Be the Last Thing You Ever Read
A little reminder for the ungrateful
Every moment could be your last. This could be the last thing you ever read.
You could die at any time from any of the most random things.
Yesterday might be the last time you ever talked to your parents. Today could be the last time you ever kiss someone, and tomorrow could be the last time you ever feel the sun kiss your skin.
This sounds dramatic, but this reality is what makes every moment precious.
This serves as a reminder of how amazing life is.
A compilation of excellence
Take a minute to glance back at your entire life. Try to focus on only the best moments.
Every time I glance back, the same moments come back first.
I see all of these special events compiled into a slide show. I envision them being played on an old-school projector, which we used in school (I’m aging myself, I know).
Slide after slide goes by.
I saw the first time I biked on my own without training wheels. The pride I felt was unmatched.
I remember my first kiss, the nerves I felt on my first date, and I remember scoring in basketball to tie a game, bringing us to OT.
I picture all the laughs I shared with friends, rallying going 160 on gravel roads with my brother, and beating a 2200+ elo chess player while streaming on Twitch.
What I’m seeing is a compilation of excellence.
Every incredible moment I had and shared with others flashed before my eyes with a picture so vivid that I can feel the same thing I felt in those moments all over again.
Risks and rewards
Many of the incredible moments I remember could have been my last memory with that person, or even with myself.
What if I flipped my car on the gravel road and died, or if my friend got hit by a car shortly after leaving my house?
What if my dad passed away from the surgery he had, and I would have never gotten to tell him how much he meant to me?
Every day, we take risks with the expectation of a specific outcome.
I drive fast to get somewhere faster. I do this because the increased risk of a dangerous accident is worth saving time (or so I think).
I take a bet on a business because I expect the payoff to create better memories in the future than the memories I will miss out on from the time spent building it.
It’s weird to look at life that way, but doing so with the knowledge that each moment could be your last… How would that affect your decision-making?
Your last moments
Have you ever envisioned how your last moments would be?
Most people would picture themselves dying peacefully in a bed surrounded by loved ones.
I’m a little different, though.
I quite often envision myself dying on my 10th mission to Mars. Something goes wrong, and I float off into space, travelling further than any human ever has.
Along my floating journey, I would discover a new meaning to life and die peacefully, fulfilled, with loved ones in my heart.
I’m a weirdo, though. In your own way, I’m sure you are too.
You’ve been living your whole life based on who you are at that moment. But often, you forget how fragile that life is.
Your decision-making needs to take into account the life you want to live while cherishing each moment because it could very well be your last.
Would you live your life differently if you knew tomorrow was your last day?
I’m sure many people who have died suddenly would have lived their lives differently. So, why don’t you?
Why is it that you take your life for granted and are not grateful for waking up each and every morning?
Closing thoughts
Thinking about death is a big no-no for many. They are scared of thinking of this thing we call “life” ending because they don’t know what’s next.
For me, the end is exciting. It’s the beginning of a new chapter and a reminder that we should make the best of the life we have now.
Any moment could be your last.
So, tell those you love that you love them, go on adventures that might scare you, and take risks just a little bigger than you may be comfortable with.
It’s a much better way of living.
Thanks for reading.