The news was not good. It was neither what we expected, nor wanted to hear.

Terminal

My condition is terminal; there is no known cure. And what treatments there are will cost, in both personal lifestyle, comfort and funds. And even then they will, at best, only extend my life for a relatively short time.

It’s the kind of news that causes you to rethink your life, to refocus, to make amends, even to make drastic changes in behaviour, all in the hope of extending, or making the best of, what time you’ve got left.

Death has a way of making us alive.

I’ve never heard of a dying person saying: “Oh I wish I’d worked longer hours”, or “I’ll never forgive so and so.” or “I just want to be alone.” Death has a way of giving us life;, of clarifying what’s important.

So why do we put in more time and effort into our work than we do with our families?

Why do we hold on so tight to that incident back then that fractured that relationship?

Why do we wait until we’re dying to live for what’s of lasting value?

Why do we wait until a loved one dies before we tell them what we loved and valued about them?

Death Sentence

This news of my “death sentence” is causing me to take serious stock of my life, to evaluate, to make changes. And in so doing, I hope, with what little time I have left, to make a positive impact on my world: to change my world by changing myself.

I hope to leave my family and friends with a legacy of life that will carry them through their grief and into a new world without me. To guide them through the valley of the shadow of death and into a new and open vista of all they can be. To inspire them to live their life with passion and courage.

Now here’s the shocker: that condition I was diagnosed with? LIFE!

I have the terminal condition of life.

Every day we live is one day closer to death.

We all die! We just don’t like to admit it. We hope and plan to live for 20 or 30 years, but the truth is each of us could die tonight. Death is the harsh reality of life.

Every day we live is one day closer to our death. Not all of us get the kind of news that they’re dying? But the truth is WE’RE ALL DYING! We’re all under a death sentence.

The question is: “What will you do with the life you have left?”

Share your comments below. Inspire me and others with how you’re preparing for your death with living today.