with every breath | 365daysofmarriage

Can I just say I’m a little tired of all the “end of the world” posts?

I mean, there are a few funny memes going around. A few companies making sales. Ok, fine.

But, it makes me think…why don’t we live every single day like it’s the end of the world? Not in a reckless living kind of way, but in a realistic way.

You may have seen my post about Scott. I talked about living every day with joy in light of the uncertainty of when death will find us. Over the years, I have lost many friends, so much so that in a way, death is like an old friend. I am accustom to the ache and finality of death. The quiet, full air of a funeral home. The unabashed tears. The knowledge that there is nothing you can say, you can only hug as if your life depended on it. As a good friend once said, “hug like you’re trying to break a watermelon.”

I’m not trying to make a super depressing post here, on the contrary, I want to share what I’ve learned.

Because we don’t know when we’ll go, we should live as if that’s very soon.

It helps you to enjoy every hug, to hold on just a few more seconds.
It helps you to dance in the rain.
It helps you to laugh when your car breaks down.
It helps you grow a “well, if nothing else” attitude about life.
It helps you to not worry about the mess around you, dropping everything and playing.
It helps you to let go of the disappointments.
It helps you to enjoy the successes even more.
It helps you to remember every breath is a gift.

Take a moment to list even 5 things that you’re thankful for every day…and I promise you, you will enjoy every day you have…even if you still have thousands in front of you.

day_01259