I ponder death occasionally.
It's usually not in a dramatic way, but more often than not while I'm buzzing down the highway. This truck could lose control and I'd be toast.
And also, there are times where things seem to be going too well and I'm sure my luck is about to run it's course somehow. I remember telling one of my best friends this, after a few beers. Life can't be this good, so something is about to happen. He says, that's not how it works. And this rational, truthful man is my husband now and I'm thankful I'm still here.
But I still think about death. I don't want to die - I want to believe there's so much left in my life here on Earth. Finality is unimaginable. But what if? What if?
Most of the time I can answer that I wouldn't be upset if this was it. Why, you might ask? There are too many blessings in my life than I could count.
And yet it's much less about the things that happen to us...it's how we act, it's how we pause, it's how we give our time, soak in the little things.
Wait what was I complaining about just minutes ago?
Oh, how it's all about perspective, right?
So, here's my advice - to you, to me, to all of us. To live a life with no regrets.
1) Pause and ask this question: How did I live today?
Did I hold my tongue? Choose patience with other people?
Did I choose to lead in peace?
Did I make time for someone I love dearly?
Did I welcome a conversation with someone who I don't know? Who's not like me?
Was I kind?
Was I present?
2) Re-align and move forward.
You have time right now to make the small changes, make things right, reach out to those you love most, and lead with an open mind.
This is all part of the mission of tangibles. To provide messages that encourage us to pause and re-align with who we want to be.
No one gets out alive, remember? So let us aim for days we're proud of. The days add up to a life. A lifetime of no regrets.
[ PS a privilege check. Though I ponder death, I will never know what it's like to be afraid of death when seeing a police officer. I don't know what it's like to fear someone of a different race or gender or religion who thinks they're superior to me and can act on it without consequence. There's so much work to do. I will not be silent. I stand with you. ]