I am unfortunately estranged from all five of my children due to some mistakes in the past and a whole lot of misunderstandings and they are not willing to even discuss them, but if it were my last day on this earth, I would do everything possible to see them and hug them, tell them I love them and pray with them that they find Jesus. I know my last dear here is the day before my first day in paradise and I hope someday to be reunited with them in paradise. Until they find Jesus, that cannot happen. God is so good and in his timing, this will all work out.
My grown children live too far away to get them to me or me to them quickly. I would call each of them for a “regular” conversation, meaning not an attempt to impart every last word of wisdom, simply a real talk. I’d send a text to my best friends to tell them they’re really great friends and I’m glad I know them. My sweetheart and I would go for a ride to a coffee shop, then walk along the waterfront in our downtown, watch the birds, look for seals. I would eat some really good chocolate. I might walk in the forested park near our house. I’d watch the sun set. I’d stay up late to see the stars somewhere away from light pollution; it’s not too bad where we live and I don’t want to do a late-night drive somewhere so maybe this is as simple as looking up at the sky. I would lie down with my sweetheart and fall asleep in his arms.
My to-do list for this month actually includes updating my will so I’d make sure that was done. I already have a document I shared with my husband and daughters with information for a memorial and what to do with my body (I plan to be composted (https://recompose.life/welcome/?gad_source=5) and want to be planted under a tree somewhere that they might be able to visit at times.
I would hope to be thinking of leaving this earth to join my loved ones in Heaven. I would want to spend time with my children, a nice meal maybe at the beach watching the waves and sharing stories. I have thought about this as my Mother died when she was my age of cancer. We just don’t know, so for now I live my life being kind and considerate and loving to everyone near and dear to me.
This question is very relevant to me. Because I am almost 90 with heart issues. every day could in fact, be my last. I have made a huge shift from a driven overachiever to being mellow. I wake up grateful for each day and visit this site most days. I get angry slowly and forgive quickly. I have made it a point to thank people for the difference they have made in my life. I have said what needed to be said and hadn’t been. I have realized the truth of “don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff.” Or, to quote Werner Erhard, “it doesn’t mean anything and it doesn’t mean anything that it doesn’t mean anything.:
I would want to spend the day laughing, as much as possible. As I reflect on my life, laughing is my most favorite activity/emotion/expression. The instances are so profound and intimate, with whomever I am laughing. The sharing of it is so deeply moving in its joy and spontaneity. The experience of laughing, to me, is transformative, healing, and vibrantly alive. When it subsides, I feel cleansed, whole, and complete. I’m not talking about a chuckle, a giggle, or a momentary guffaw of mirth. I’m talking about those deep belly laughs, especially silent laugh mode, so overtaken with it that tears form, or I involuntarily snort.
I don’t know if that would be possible. But if I could leave my family and friends with any last experiences of me, that’s what I’d want for them. That’s how I’d want them to remember me. And when a wave of grief should take them after I am gone, I’d want them to remember our last laugh together, and hopefully, it would make them laugh again, and ease their grief a bit.
Live it with all my heart. With dear friends and loved ones around, peacefully, joyfully, gratefully speaking with them about what I loved in them, thankful and deeply grateful for the life having been allowed to live in service. To be present in Love, looking forward to humbly pass the veil, if ever possible, aware and with a heart full of Love.
I would choose to live my last day with my family in Mother Nature, in the Redwood Forest. I would tell all the folks in my life that I love them & would thank them all. I would thank the Divine & look up at the Moon & smile.
✨💫❤️
P.S. I would also listen to George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”. 🎶🙏🏻❤️
Every day could be our last day; we don’t have a fixed appointment with Death no matter what the story says. The book Four Thousand Weeks made this point for me in describing how we treat time as a commodity that we “have” when it’s really something we move through and are, with no guaranteed timeline.
This question is extra-relevant for me because two days ago, as I rode my bike home from work, a driver almost hit me. I had done what you’re supposed to do for a left turn: moved into the middle of the road, stuck out my arm to signal. It was dark but I had a helmet light, taillight, and reflective elements on my rain cape. Being in the lane makes me more visible so a driver can see and respond, and this street has streetlights including one at the corner where I was turning so I didn’t “come out of nowhere”. The driver coming up behind me was less than 2 blocks from a stop sign but crossed over a double yellow line in an illegal maneuver and zoomed past just as I started to turn. I hit the brakes, screamed (cuss words), and managed not to go down.
That ruined what had been a pretty delightful day up to that point. I got home, shaken, reminded again that we have no guarantees.
If you drive, take this as your PSA reminder that the second and a half you think you “save” around someone riding or walking isn’t really a thing you can put in the bank (which you all know) and you’re creating the risk that you’ll severely injure or kill someone. If I’m in the lane in front of you it’s specifically so you’ll see me, not just to “slow you down”. If we had road designs that really told drivers to move slowly through neighborhoods and less of a societal orientation toward everything going fast, our communities would be safer for everyone.
I would spend my last day by a campfire with the mountains behind me and the ocean in front of me. I’d connect with my wife and my daughters and connect with the earth to which I will be grateful to be reunited with.
This question also made me think of a reverse question. If I knew today was the last day of the person I am living with, how would I choose to live it? In the past week, 2 of my friends suddenly lost their life long partners.
My husband has a rare disorder. Each day I focus on being very present to him and the activities we can engage in together. I send them light and positive energy. I am also realistic, that my response may not meet what I propose as perfect.
On my last day, if I could be notified, it would be a gift from God. At least I would have an opportunity to prepare for it. As I have not yet reached the age of thirty, I believe not many people my age really think about their last day, unless they are dealing with a challenging disease. How this question exists right on time for me today. Recently, I have been following a man whom I have never known. I indirectly connect with him through my mother-in-law’s Facebook. This man is nearing the end of his life journey. From his experiences, he posts journals and poems about his disease, and about his love for his loved ones. If I were in his circumstances, the first thought that storms into my mind is flying to stay alongside my family halfway across the world. But then, I realize that the flight regularly takes about a day long to get there, so it would be impossible to enjoy the very last moment with my family. Well, I will just pray and thank for all the blessings that I have received until this day. I will call everyone that I value to say goodbye, as the man I am following does.
How wonderful and grateful to have another day to live, because we don’t know when our final moments will be.
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I am unfortunately estranged from all five of my children due to some mistakes in the past and a whole lot of misunderstandings and they are not willing to even discuss them, but if it were my last day on this earth, I would do everything possible to see them and hug them, tell them I love them and pray with them that they find Jesus. I know my last dear here is the day before my first day in paradise and I hope someday to be reunited with them in paradise. Until they find Jesus, that cannot happen. God is so good and in his timing, this will all work out.
My grown children live too far away to get them to me or me to them quickly. I would call each of them for a “regular” conversation, meaning not an attempt to impart every last word of wisdom, simply a real talk. I’d send a text to my best friends to tell them they’re really great friends and I’m glad I know them. My sweetheart and I would go for a ride to a coffee shop, then walk along the waterfront in our downtown, watch the birds, look for seals. I would eat some really good chocolate. I might walk in the forested park near our house. I’d watch the sun set. I’d stay up late to see the stars somewhere away from light pollution; it’s not too bad where we live and I don’t want to do a late-night drive somewhere so maybe this is as simple as looking up at the sky. I would lie down with my sweetheart and fall asleep in his arms.
My to-do list for this month actually includes updating my will so I’d make sure that was done. I already have a document I shared with my husband and daughters with information for a memorial and what to do with my body (I plan to be composted (https://recompose.life/welcome/?gad_source=5) and want to be planted under a tree somewhere that they might be able to visit at times.
Thank you! The thoughts are beautiful.
I would hope to be thinking of leaving this earth to join my loved ones in Heaven. I would want to spend time with my children, a nice meal maybe at the beach watching the waves and sharing stories. I have thought about this as my Mother died when she was my age of cancer. We just don’t know, so for now I live my life being kind and considerate and loving to everyone near and dear to me.
This question is very relevant to me. Because I am almost 90 with heart issues. every day could in fact, be my last. I have made a huge shift from a driven overachiever to being mellow. I wake up grateful for each day and visit this site most days. I get angry slowly and forgive quickly. I have made it a point to thank people for the difference they have made in my life. I have said what needed to be said and hadn’t been. I have realized the truth of “don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff.” Or, to quote Werner Erhard, “it doesn’t mean anything and it doesn’t mean anything that it doesn’t mean anything.:
I would want to spend the day laughing, as much as possible. As I reflect on my life, laughing is my most favorite activity/emotion/expression. The instances are so profound and intimate, with whomever I am laughing. The sharing of it is so deeply moving in its joy and spontaneity. The experience of laughing, to me, is transformative, healing, and vibrantly alive. When it subsides, I feel cleansed, whole, and complete. I’m not talking about a chuckle, a giggle, or a momentary guffaw of mirth. I’m talking about those deep belly laughs, especially silent laugh mode, so overtaken with it that tears form, or I involuntarily snort.
I don’t know if that would be possible. But if I could leave my family and friends with any last experiences of me, that’s what I’d want for them. That’s how I’d want them to remember me. And when a wave of grief should take them after I am gone, I’d want them to remember our last laugh together, and hopefully, it would make them laugh again, and ease their grief a bit.
I think I would go for a quiet walk in a garden.
Live it with all my heart. With dear friends and loved ones around, peacefully, joyfully, gratefully speaking with them about what I loved in them, thankful and deeply grateful for the life having been allowed to live in service. To be present in Love, looking forward to humbly pass the veil, if ever possible, aware and with a heart full of Love.
I would choose to live my last day with my family in Mother Nature, in the Redwood Forest. I would tell all the folks in my life that I love them & would thank them all. I would thank the Divine & look up at the Moon & smile.
✨💫❤️
P.S. I would also listen to George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”. 🎶🙏🏻❤️
Love that song!
Every day could be our last day; we don’t have a fixed appointment with Death no matter what the story says. The book Four Thousand Weeks made this point for me in describing how we treat time as a commodity that we “have” when it’s really something we move through and are, with no guaranteed timeline.
This question is extra-relevant for me because two days ago, as I rode my bike home from work, a driver almost hit me. I had done what you’re supposed to do for a left turn: moved into the middle of the road, stuck out my arm to signal. It was dark but I had a helmet light, taillight, and reflective elements on my rain cape. Being in the lane makes me more visible so a driver can see and respond, and this street has streetlights including one at the corner where I was turning so I didn’t “come out of nowhere”. The driver coming up behind me was less than 2 blocks from a stop sign but crossed over a double yellow line in an illegal maneuver and zoomed past just as I started to turn. I hit the brakes, screamed (cuss words), and managed not to go down.
That ruined what had been a pretty delightful day up to that point. I got home, shaken, reminded again that we have no guarantees.
If you drive, take this as your PSA reminder that the second and a half you think you “save” around someone riding or walking isn’t really a thing you can put in the bank (which you all know) and you’re creating the risk that you’ll severely injure or kill someone. If I’m in the lane in front of you it’s specifically so you’ll see me, not just to “slow you down”. If we had road designs that really told drivers to move slowly through neighborhoods and less of a societal orientation toward everything going fast, our communities would be safer for everyone.
The fact that you even bike commute to work is amazing and brave. Glad you’re ok!
Barb, That had to be so scary. I would be afraid to get back on my bike!
What a very scary moment for you. Glad you are ok!
Barb, I am grateful you are unharmed. I am grateful for your reminder to be mindful.
Dear Barb C., I am thankful nothing worse happened to You. Your angels were with You & protecting You. Stay safe out there. God bless You.❤️🙏🏻
With my partner, calmly.
I’d get all my loved ones to meet me at the beach, and we would surf, take breaks sharing story, hugs and food on the sand, and surf some more.
With my family.
I would spend my last day by a campfire with the mountains behind me and the ocean in front of me. I’d connect with my wife and my daughters and connect with the earth to which I will be grateful to be reunited with.
This question also made me think of a reverse question. If I knew today was the last day of the person I am living with, how would I choose to live it? In the past week, 2 of my friends suddenly lost their life long partners.
My husband has a rare disorder. Each day I focus on being very present to him and the activities we can engage in together. I send them light and positive energy. I am also realistic, that my response may not meet what I propose as perfect.
On my last day, if I could be notified, it would be a gift from God. At least I would have an opportunity to prepare for it. As I have not yet reached the age of thirty, I believe not many people my age really think about their last day, unless they are dealing with a challenging disease. How this question exists right on time for me today. Recently, I have been following a man whom I have never known. I indirectly connect with him through my mother-in-law’s Facebook. This man is nearing the end of his life journey. From his experiences, he posts journals and poems about his disease, and about his love for his loved ones. If I were in his circumstances, the first thought that storms into my mind is flying to stay alongside my family halfway across the world. But then, I realize that the flight regularly takes about a day long to get there, so it would be impossible to enjoy the very last moment with my family. Well, I will just pray and thank for all the blessings that I have received until this day. I will call everyone that I value to say goodbye, as the man I am following does.
How wonderful and grateful to have another day to live, because we don’t know when our final moments will be.
Thank you for sharing this