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What is
it about the words, “You’ve only got six months to live,” that strike
such fear in a human heart and shake a person to his or her very
foundation? Why do those words cause such shock to those who
receive them? Is it because they now know that their time is limited,
and they realize that they’ve left so much undone? They realize that
they have so much left to do and so little time to do it. And there
won’t be any more time after this. They begin to value time in a wholly
different way, now that they truly know it won’t go on forever.
Would you live your life any differently if you knew you only had six
months to live? I think you would. You’d realize that you don’t have
lots of years left, and if you’re ever going to do that “something
special” with your life, now’s the only time you’ve got to do it. And
time is running out fast.
There won’t be lots of tomorrows. It’s today or it’s
never! Get that through your thick head! Every day is a priceless jewel
which can never be replaced. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. Every
moment puts you one moment closer to the time when you’ll have no more
moments left—when whatever you were going to achieve in this life is
already history. When that time comes, the party’s over for you. And
there’s no reprieve. What you didn’t get done, won’t get done—by you,
in this lifetime.
How much good and progress is never achieved because we believe we’ve
got plenty of time to live? How much work gets put off until tomorrow
because we believe we’ve always got tomorrow? How many relationships
get only minimal attention because we’re too busy? How many children
grow up and leave home, never getting to know their parents, because
their parents believe they’ll spend some time with the kids “tomorrow”?
And “tomorrow” never comes. And then it’s too late—they’ve grown up and
left home forever. And what could have been precious memories they’d
treasure for a lifetime are now only empty possibilities.
We
procrastinate away our future, simply because we believe we’ve “always
got tomorrow.” As someone once put it, “Time waits for no man, and few
women!” We think we’ve got tomorrow, yet we don’t know that we have it.
Our “six months” could have begun 179 days ago. Today could be our last
day! We just don’t know. And not knowing can kill you, if your time
runs out before you get things done!
Do you know the nice part about this scenario? While you still have
time left, you can still call the shots! If you choose to, you can live
your life as if you only had six months to live, even if you’ve really
got many years left. Living your life in six-month segments, with this
kind of focus on accomplishing what’s really important to you, could
give you the opportunity and determination to really make a difference
in your world and to live your life to its fullest. It could help you
focus on the things that really count—on the things you want to be sure
get said or done before you leave this life. It could help you get your
priorities straight. And the best part is this—you can start doing it
today, while you still have some time left! And if you should have more
than six months to live, you’ll have accomplished the most important
things you wanted to do. And you’ll know that your life was lived to
its fullest, because you chose to live it that way!
Charles David Heineke, 1994
Spread the word. Please copy freely.
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