If Today Was Your Last Day

So, I have a question for all of you. But first, I need to tie you a preface as to why I am asking.

A few weeks ago, I was in a car accident.There were three of us in the car. We went to take an exit on the highway going too fast, hit the island, and began to fishtail at about 70mph. We hit three traffic cones, and almost hit 2 cars. My friend managed to get the car under control enough to slow us down...until we hit the barrier. We sat there in a few minutes in stunned silence.

A few hours later, I was talking to my other friend who was in the car. The adrenaline had worn off, the shock had subsided, but I was uneasy. I couldn't help but think about how different it could have been. What if we'd hit other cars? What if we'd flipped? It made me realize something:I could have not been sitting there right then. It was a massive shock just how quickly you could be gone. It would have happened in the blink of an eye.

So, my question is this, and it's one I've been thinking on since the accident:

If today was your last day, how would you live it? Would you change anything about your life? Would you try and do something last minute? Would you enjoy your time with your loved ones? What would you spend your last day doing?

I would want to sit on a hill with my loved ones simply watching the world

I've been in a few accidents and had numerous close calls...

I never put much thought into what tomorrow may bring, I prefer to focus on what I'm doing right now, enjoy this moment. Tomorrow may come, or it may not. We risk our lives every time we wake up, every time we breath, every time we eat, drink...if we were to focus only on the end then we'd miss the rest of the game.

So what would I do if this was my last day? Live it the same as if it were any other day...there are no guarantees in life...

Great thread.

I'd get up early and catch the sunrise, meditate for half an hour, then go wake my son up and read him some stories until he wakes up properly. Then we'd both sneak back into bed and give my wife a cuddle. This would undoubtedly wake up my daughter (currently in a moses basket next to my wife), so she'd get a cuddle as well.

We'd watch Mr Tumble in bed as it's my son's favourite, then roll downstairs and have a long slow breakfast (scrambled egg and smoked salmon bagel with a really big cup of tea). I'd spend most of the time either making the kids smile or stroking my cats with my feet while they beg for salmon... and at the end, I'd give them a little.

After that, we'd get dressed together, which is always funny in one way or another, even if it's just my son laughing at "Daddy's furry tummy!".

Next we'd head out to my son's favourite playground and spend an hour or so there, on the roundabout, rope bridge, going down the slide a million times and playing at the pretend shop.

After that we'd drive up to my parents' house (I'd go the long way so my little boy can get excited about the diggers at the roadworks) for lunch of homemade soup, posh bread and a selection of ridiculously mature cheeses, then head out for a slow post-lunch walk with their dog Jess. I'd breathe in the woody green atmosphere of the lane near my parents' house, where I grew up and spent most of my youth. I'd watch Jess tear up and down, tail wagging, living life like there's no tomorrow (which, for once, there isn't). When we got back I'd have another vat of tea and tell them both I love them, and give them both a hug (don't think I've hugged my dad since I was about 7).

After that I'd head up to the zoo near my parents' house where I used to work and catch up with the people I used to work with there. I'd have a quick tour of our favourite animals (lynx, bears, wolverines, wolves, lions, meercats, tigers, elephants) and no doubt spend more time with my son at the playground there, and the cafe having a preposterously overpriced and unhealthy cake. I'd take him on the zoo train, which we've never done yet. We'd then drive up the downs (hills near where I grew up) here and watch the sunset together.

After that head to one of our favourite Italian restaurants for a fiorentina pizza with a nice glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and take the kids home to bed. I'd stick to our normal bedtime routine but read as many books as my little boy could stay awake for. Then I'd sing all the songs he likes at bedtime, sit with him to make sure he's properly asleep then kiss him goodnight.

I'd spend some time "chatting" with my baby daughter and making her smile until she fell asleep as well, probably lying on the floor next to her on her play mat as she's generally most "talkative" like this.

After that we'd magic up a babysitter from somewhere and head out with our best friends to a crappy-but-nice pub, The Globe, in the town we grew up in. I'd drink a pint of each of the guest ales and generally have a good old laugh with my favourite people and my wife.

We'd get a cab home (we can never afford this), send away the babysitter with a stupidly big tip, and spend some time together on the sofa watching crappy TV and then have some personal time together. The day would end with us falling asleep together, tired and happy. I'd maybe read the Tao Te Ching until my eyes close.



TL;DR... I'd do all the good things I try to do in a week in one day. It's nice to think I get to live this "perfect day" at least once every few months.

I'd live as I would live if nothing was going to happen...

I was in a pretty serious accident myself years ago. The car rolled 3 times. We're still not sure how we both survived it, to be honest. It is a scary thing that sorta makes you look at how you're living your life, though.

At this point in my life I'd want to spend my last day just having fun with my daughter and husband.

How would I live today if I were to die tomorrow?

Honestly.. I would spend the day alone and reflect upon my life, then I would leave something for everyone to remember me by.

This is not really very helpful ...

:huh:

Here's a suggestion :

Take it the other way. How would you do if you knew that you were immortal - that you would live exactly as you are now for ever and ever. There would be no death to exonerate you from stuff, there would be no time limitation by which to fulfil your dreams, desires, goals or what-have-you ...

Now, don't get carried away and start thinking into the far future, or some idiocy like how crappy it would be to see all of the 'loved ones' grow old and whither away. Keep it now. If you knew you were eternal, how would that alter your outlook on things now ?

If this doesn't kill the thread (and I'm sincerely hoping that it does not), I'll tell you where I'm going with that after a bit ...


Oh, but to answer the original question : I'd probably just make some tea and wait for it.

Alexandre Orion wrote: Take it the other way. How would you do if you knew that you were immortal - that you would live exactly as you are now for ever and ever. There would be no death to exonerate you from stuff, there would be no time limitation by which to fulfil your dreams, desires, goals or what-have-you ...

Interesting book I read recently, which takes elements of this (in that the main character lives a portion of their life over again and again):

Alexandre Orion wrote: How would you do if you knew that you were immortal

So much time, so little to do. I would definitely see the world, move around with my family, especially third world countries, perhaps dedicate some time to aiding them.

Financially I would do as "Connor MacLeod" or "Marvin Nash" does, I'd run an antiques business selling all of the trinkets I have collected hundreds of years later, that way I could support my mission.

In all honesty, this is what I would do not just "oh I better make this a Jedi answer", I really believe that would bring a calmness to me knowing that i was making a difference and bettering the lives of those who need it most.