What would you do, if you come to know that this is the last day of your life? You cannot escape death. You’ve exactly 24 hours of life left. Will you keep reading this post? Will you scroll through the Instagram reels? Would you Google “What to do if you have just 24 hours to live”? Or, will you just start calling all your friends and family members? I know it’s a difficult question because the situation is difficult to simulate in our heads. If it was real, the biochemistry of your body and the hormonal levels would drastically change. Your mental state would not be the same as what it is right now while thinking about the hypothetical situation. Therefore, the answers you give right now, wouldn’t necessarily be the same as things you’ll do if you’re in that situation. But, keeping things aside, I still want you to think, what would you do, if you just had 24 hours to live?
I want you to look around you, and understand that everything you’re seeing right now, would cease to exist. All your material belongings, your parents, your love, will cease to exist. You will cease to exist. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll panic. I’ll take some time to come to terms with this fact. And then I’ll start noticing each and every moment as it passes. I’ll say everything I wanted to say to everyone I wanted to talk to. I will express myself freely — without the fear of being judged. I’ll do everything that I wanted to do, and is still possible in a short time. Sleeping is out of the question during this time— given the naturally alerted mind. I might break some societal rules. Maybe I will shout, Maybe I’ll run without a direction. The everyday problems will not seem problems anymore. The stuck projects at the office won’t bother me anymore. Maybe I’ll be free for the last few hours. Or, maybe I’ll just sit in a corner, and worry about the imminent death. What would you do? Close your eyes, and imagine it vividly.
24 hour passes. You’ve done some of what you wanted to. You’re not ready, but it’s time. You see the Grim Reaper with his Scythe. He comes close and grabs your left arm. You feel the burn, but you cannot get away, you cannot move. It’s the death himself! He leans forward, and whispers in your left ear “I’ll come back after a few years.”
You wake up — panting heavily. Great God, everything was a dream! Phew! But then you notice the burnt black marks on your arm. No, it wasn’t a dream. It all happened. And the death will come back, after a few years. Now, answer me this — How will you live your life now? Will it be the same as what it was before this incident? Or, will it change? What changes will you bring?
Most of us don’t realize that death is the only certain truth. We get so busy building our lives — working hard, saving money, building big houses, creating a family, that we forget that while we move past our lives, death waiting for us. With each passing moment, we’re a step closer to him. There’s no escape. Therefore, be grateful for this gift of life, while you have it. Be mindful. Live the moments. Experience it. Free yourself from negative emotions.
The example of death was important. Because when we forget about it, we start taking our lives for granted. We fall back to our old patterns of robotized living — dragging the time through our mechanical work and responsibilities, building for a safe and secure future forever, thus completely forgetting living the passing moments, and missing out on the beautiful experiences — that’s part of the magical journey called life!
Live while you’re alive!