What if I knew tomorrow was going to be the last day of my life?
This would be my bucket list.
• Wake up in time to see the sunrise and not complain about getting up so early
• Kiss my wife until my lips hurt and burn into my soul the enchantment of holding her in my arms
• Tell my kids how much I love them (though this will fall short of my feelings) and how proud I am of them
• Smile until my jowls ache
• Listen to every sound surrounding me as if I was a newborn…the birds singing, dogs barking, traffic noise, every spoken word, the whisper “I love you” that shakes my world
• Crank up the stereo and play air guitar one last time to Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven
• Savor every single tasty sensation. Revel in the bite of a crispy, cold apple, the pure refreshment of a sip of water, the astonishing delights my wife concocts
• Wallow in the aromas I’ve always taken for granted. The fragrance of my wife, a freshly cut orange, peanut butter, the flowers blooming in our yard, chili cooking on the stove
• Smile until my eyes hurt
• Make music with my eyes closed and heart wide open. Let my fingers dance one last time to an unseen inspiration
• Really see for the first time in my life the amazing visual displays that have surrounded me but I was too blind to see. The pure love in my wife’s eyes when she looks at me. The genuine, heartfelt smiles of my friends and family. Myself, when I look into my children’s eyes. Every stunning color of the hummingbirds at our feeder. The setting sun casting its crimson shadow, tinting the clouds a stunning magenta. The stars hanging in the sky just for my entertainment
• Laugh out loud
• Play with my dog and delight in the simple joy I can grant him with a few minutes of my time
• Dance with my wife in my arms
• Rejoice in every little ache and pain…and laugh them off
• Fall asleep with the love of my life lying next to me and exult in overwhelming gratitude for how blessed I have been.
• Wake up in the morning and do it all over again
So I bet you’re thinking the moral of this story is to live every day like it was your last. Well, that is a good one but the epiphany I have come to realize is to live every moment like was your last. There are no takebacks of past mistakes or promises of a brighter future, but what I can control is what each moment holds. Live long and prosper my friend.