I have heard people say that we should live each day like it’s our last day on earth. I understand the intent of inspiring people to live their life to the fullest, to not take things for granted, and to avoid situations which will result in regret. However, I also know that for me, the last day of anything is usually accompanied by panic.
I am very sentimental and get distracted by the notion of something never happening again. While my faith abates my fear about death itself, the idea of saying good-bye to people and being overwhelmed by an imminent ending almost paralyzes me. For me, the notion of identifying my last day would leave me hanging and unable to be fully present in each moment. If I were to try to live each day like my last, I know that I would miss the point of making it count. By contrast, I would miss the gift of that last day, worrying about something I cannot control. Isn’t it a blessing that we really “do not know the day or the hour” (Mt 25:13)?
Rather than focusing on endings, I find beginnings more comforting. I prefer to focus on this saying by Charles Dederich: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Every day brings something new, and there really is nothing like the feeling of the first day of something.
On the first day of a course or school year, no mistakes have been made, friendships spark, challenges await. Nothing has been learned yet, no stress has been incurred, no marks have been deducted, no sleep has been lost.
The first day of being a new parent is filled with the excitement of getting to know a new person, the anticipation of what lies ahead, and the possibility and hope that new life brings. Overshadowing a parent’s nervousness is an unparalleled joy and the strong desire to share that joy with others.
The first day of vacation brings feelings of relaxation. On the first day of a trip or even just a long weekend, I am not worried about wasted time, not anxious to fit everything in, and not anticipating the trip’s ending; instead, I live in the moment, ready for anything, peaceful and excited about what is to come.
Whether one faces something new with trepidation, frustration, peace, or confidence, beginnings are fresh slates just waiting to be written upon. Now that summer is here, I have finished a school year, and I have hopes of meeting with family and friends I haven’t seen in a while, catching up on projects I have been putting off, exercising, and reading a few good books. My summer lies before me, and I aim to make the most of it.
I want to live each day like it’s the first day of summer. I aim to embrace the first-day feelings of hope, calm, and potential. I want to live in the moment, focused on that place in time and not worrying about the future. I want to be present to the people around me and not be so driven by tasks and chores that I miss the beauty sitting right in front of me. As always, I likewise aspire to keep the feelings of summer with me all year long.
I realize that the notions of living each day like it’s your last and living each day remembering that it’s the first day of the rest of your life, are basically the same philosophy. Both stress the importance of not wasting the time we have, not taking our blessings for granted, and not missing the opportunities and miracles in our midst.
Whichever phrasing encourages you to live your best life, take it to heart. Whether we are motivated by time running out, or whether we are inspired by the thrill of fresh starts, we need to live with passion, forgive and apologize in earnest, take risks, find comforts, accept humility and sorrow, and savour joy and love.
We do not know the day or the hour when our earthly lives will end, but there is no need to panic. No matter how you look at it, we have been blessed with the gift of today.
