What if Today is the Day?

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What if today was the day?  What if you had the chance to know that this would be “the” day?  How would this impact you? What would you do differently?

As a little girl, I grew up in a very small town.  And when I say small…I mean small.  Back then, this town consisted of 126 people, one intersection, and relatives located at every other house throughout the whole community.  It was a neat way to grow up!  The memories and friendships I made are sure to last me a lifetime.  

One of the coolest things about growing up in a small town is that we would get together regularly with my parents’ best friends and their children who, of course, lived in this small community too.  I can still remember when their youngest daughter was born.  As a young elementary student myself, I remember watching over her.  I remember bringing her back to our house on hot summer days from our church barbeque to cool off.  I remember, even as a young girl, loving her just as I loved my own family which tends to happen when you spend so much time together.  

So when this young girl was only 20 years old, you can imagine the pain we all felt when she got into a car accident that nearly took her life.  But my friend, she is a fighter.  And even though her life was forever altered that day, as she was no longer able to walk, she didn’t let it slow her down.  She continued to be a ball of positivity.  She always looked at life as a blessing.  She didn’t ever take a day on this earth for granted.  And when life threw her more health obstacles over the coming years, she continuously would fight through them all, like a typical warrior does.  Seeing her in a wheel chair is really the only clue that led you to believe the hardship she had been through.  Otherwise, you would never have known.  

She would take the biggest challenges tossed her way and turn them into opportunities to inspire others.  Here are some of my favorites that really stick out…

Some said she would never gain much use of her hands after that accident.  Well, she did…. she even learned how to drive.  Some said it would be hard for her to raise her 1-year-old son due to her limitations.  She blew that myth right out of the water and is undeniably one of the best mothers around.  Some suspected that it would be hard for her to find work that her body could handle.  And again, she did all of that while choosing a profession to engage with others that needed her energy and positivity in their life.  This girl, well let’s just say, she is my idol.  She is everything any of us could ever want to be in life.  She is just that amazing!

 But then… June 24, 2020 came.  It was a day none of us were ready for.  A day none of us anticipated.  This day would become “that” day for my friend.  It became her last day on this earth.  My friend passed away unexpectedly on June 24^th 2020. It was the day that I lost my idol, my friend, and a member of my family.

And since that day, I don’t ever stop thinking about her.  I keep reflecting on her astonishing journey.  I keep remembering all of the obstacles she overcame.  And as I sit back and reflect upon this journey, and as I remember the positive and unforgettable impact she made on this world, I can’t help but think, “Did she know?”  Did my friend know that June 24^th 2020 was going to be her last day?  Did she have the knowledge that she was going to pass away at the young age of 33?  

Of course, I realize she couldn’t know.  I understand that none of us can actually know.  But the reason why I question it is because she lived every single day as if it would be her last.  She carried a smile with her always.  She loved deeply and expressed that love as often as possible.  She worked hard right up until her last breath to make a positive and lasting impression on this world.  She didn’t know that June 24^th was going to be her last day, but she still lived every day as if she did know…as if it would be her last.

What would our journey be like if we could all live that way too?

What if today is the day?  What if today was your last day?  What if you had the knowledge to know?  What would you do differently?  Who would you choose to make amends with?  Who would you say “I Love You” to?  Would you make each day count like my friend did?

Sadly, the answer for me is “No”.  I don’t always make each day count.  There are so many days that I just go about life doing my same old routine and not enjoying the moments I have been given.  There are so many days that I take for granted.  There are days when I wake up and wish I didn’t have to get out of bed.  There really are So.Many.Days…. 

Do you have these days too? 

But then, I am reminded of my friend and her incredible story.  I am reminded of how she chose to live her life.  I think about all of the obstacles she had to battle daily, and yet she still chose to get up, do life, and live each day like it was her last.  I want to live like she did.  I want to choose to make each day count and to never take a single day for granted.  Because there is one reminder that we all need…a reminder that every single day is a blessing.  Each moment in time that we get is a true gift.  And we should never let that go to waste.

So how are we going to do this?  How are we going to live each day as if it is our last? (Because someday it will be.)  How are we going to make each day count?

It’s time to pause in this busy world that we live in.  Let’s take a breath, stop, and pause right here… 

I want us to think about our life and ask ourselves these questions.  Do you have regrets?  Are you currently at war with another person and know you don’t want to leave this world with that kind of hatred?  

 Are you truly enjoying your present life?  And if you aren’t, why not?  What needs to change?

Do you remind those important people in your life that you truly love them, or would they question your love if you were no longer here?

When you wake up each morning to start the day, do you dread it?  Are you choosing each day to not live it out like it might be your last?

If you are struggling with the right answers to these questions, then it’s time to consider making some changes in your life.  We need to take action, to take one small step in order to start living our life like today may actually be our last day.  Pick one thing you would want to do differently if you had only one day left on this earth, and then make a promise to yourself that you are going to change it….today.  Don’t waste any more time.  

So in honor and in memory of my friend, here is how my life is going to change from today forward.  I am going to choose to remember that each day is a gift, that each day is a blessing.  I am going to make amends and forgive those who hurt me.  I am going to live with no regrets.  And I am going to love…more deeply than I ever thought possibly…all of those that surround me in my life.  

I am choosing right now and from this day forward to live each day just like this, as best as I can, because of one simple fact… you just never know.  And what if…what if this day… today of all days… really is “that” day?  Then I want to leave this world knowing that I lived life to the fullest and that I didn’t waste even a minute of it just like my dear friend did.

Xoxo

Marsha 

*For those of you struggling with something in life or have a topic of interest that you want me to talk about in this blog, email me at BeYourBestSelfBlog@gmail.com.  Let’s work together to Be Our Best Selves!

Photo Credit:   Photo by Min An from Pexels