Last Days: Reflection on the Short, Sweet Side of Heaven

If this was your last day upon the Earth,

What thoughts would run through your mind?

Would you regret the pain soon to befall loved ones?

Would you cry for the days lost to time?

Would you rise up and fight for each new moment?

If this was your last day upon the Earth,

Would your loved ones feel your heart’s silent cry?

Could they say, “We, one and all, felt your love

Reach across time and throughout space to touch us.

This world will never be the same without you.”

If this was your last day upon the Earth,

What words would you say to those left behind?

Could you say, “Don’t worry. I’ll be all right.

There’s a place waiting to welcome me home.

I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment.

I am ready to leave these pains far behind.

Do not mourn long. You’ll find me again.”

If this was your last day upon the Earth,

Could you look at your life and say it went well?

I wrote the Last Day Upon the Earth for a book I'm working on, but it seemed to fit this situation very well. If a movie theater shooting has nothing else to teach us about life, it tells us it's short. Any day could be the last one we spend here. That ought to be enough to at least get us thinking, what is worthwhile in our lives? Some would answer family, others would answer faith. Desperate situations are good for offering clarity about what's precious and what's merely distraction. They're the sort of things that make heroes of people we normally wouldn't look twice at.

Would we be better people if we never forgot the lesson that life's short? Could something like the Colorado shooting at least be enough to make you look at your family a little closer and thank God for them? Even if you don't believe in God, do you believe in good? Do you believe that there are things worth fighting for?

Sometimes, living meaningfully is the harder path. Death will come to all eventually, but making every moment count, that's a lot of work. It take effort to get close to people and let them know you care. Calls, cards, and personal conversations take time. We often seem short of time. There's always something pressing that gives us a good excuse to put off the call to our mothers, brothers, fathers, sisters, sons, daughters, etc. Forget the excuse, make the call.

It takes a lot of courage to tell somebody you love them. We overuse the word as a substitute for like. With all the crazy amount of words in the English language, sometimes we just don't seem to have enough.

Find time for your passions. Well, so long as they're law abiding and not harmful to humanity or small creatures. Read, write, paint, build, create, hike trails, volunteer, get to know people, etc. There's absolutely no reason to ever be bored. Time's of the essence, so make it count.