The Katywompus Journal Observing Life's Little Quirks by Diane Moody |
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Entry #51: If Your Days Were Numbered
You wait patiently in the doctor's office. The questions bounce around your head, screaming for answers. Fear grips your heart. Your skin feels clammy. Your pulse pounds like a bass drum in your ears. He opens the door, sits behind his cluttered desk, and opens the thick folder of medical records . . . your medical records. Test results. Somewhere a clock is ticking too loud. You find it hard to swallow. He removes his glasses, pinches the bridge of his nose, and you know. You know. He doesn't need to say a word. "I don't know any other way to say this," he begins. "Do me a favor, Doc. Skip the details. Just tell me how long." "Weeks? Maybe months." It's not an unusual scenario. We've all heard such stories. Perhaps some of us have lived through them with friends or loved ones. Or maybe those medical records on the doctor's desk had our name on it. We can recall to the split second that moment in time when there's no turning back, no more miracles, no hope to hold on to. That moment when everything changes. Everything. As though the hand of God has drawn a line in the sand beneath our feet. The bare naked truth hangs in the air - the timer is set and each second is now precious. Several weeks ago, in a small group setting, our pastor told us of a man in our church who recently heard those words: not months, only weeks at best. Did he beg for more tests? Cry out for a miracle? No, but even as he heard the doctor's words, he said everything became crystal clear. All that was trivial vanished. Only the important things mattered now - family, friends, and faith. And so the question bears asking: if you knew you only had a few more weeks or months to live, how would you change the way you live? Would you make a list of thrill-seeking adventures to conquer before you die? Would you board a plane and see the world while you still had time? Would you find a way to leave a legacy by writing a book, composing a song, or detailing the heart of your soul in a journal for your children's grandchildren? Or would you change a thing? Would you continue living just as you lived the day before, and the day before that? If you're a country music fan, no doubt you're already humming the tune to Tim McGraw's latest hit, Life Like You Were Dying. The character in this song has learned he doesn't have much time left. What did he do? He went sky diving, mountain climbing, and bull riding! "And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying; And he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying." Most of us live life like we're running a marathon. We pace ourselves and rightly so. For some, that translates to a methodical plan with daytimers filled meticulously to overflowing. For others, each day is much like the day before, drifting through life, allowing the ebb and flow of life to carry them back and forth. But if we were told the marathon was now a sprint, wouldn't we run it with an entirely different strategy? You bet your life we would. We all know there's a clock ticking somewhere for each and every one of us. How much time is left on that clock? Only God knows. Still, it all comes down to a state of mind, doesn't it? Making each day count by focusing on what matters most and disregarding the insignificant "stuff" of life. And if that's true, then my question to you is this: what's stopping you? What responsibilities are holding your life hostage? Family commitments? Career goals? Or all those pesky financial obligations? Deal with it. Work around them. You've heard it said a thousand times: when the dying are asked what they regret most about their lives, they never say "I wish I'd spent more time at the office," or "I wish I'd bought more cars" (houses/jewelry/clothes). So what's stopping you? Make that call. Mend that relationship. Book that trip. Write that song. What are you waiting for? The clock is ticking. In the immortal words of Nike, just do it! Click HERE to send Diane an email. She welcomes your comments and suggestions. She's Flying the Coop Blessed are the poor... Back to School It All Started With Eve It's Almost Here! Forget About Weapons of Mass Destruction - let’s Talk Hormones The Other "W" "If only I could..." "Put Down That Remote and Step Away From the TV!" Take This Job and Love It! As the Stomach turns! Pet Peeves Cue the Balloons! A Picture Perfect Thanksgiving 'Twas Two Months Before Christmas . . . Egg Nog & Popcorn The Importance of Making Christmas Memories Step Away from the Mistletoe! 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