post title taken from Tim McGraw’s Live Like You Were Dying.

I read something on a blog, that got me to thinking.  This person believes that if we know when we are going to die, we should treat it as a gift.   I disagree with this.  I also see where they are coming from in stating this opinion.  I’m not going to link to them, because I don’t feel like it.

However, I want to address what was said.   They said that someone should be grateful they know when they are going to die, instead of not knowing.

I am NOT blasting this person.  I am NOT blasting this person’s opinion.   I’m going to state my own opinion.  Period.

I, in a way, can see where this person is coming from.  I’m a huge Tim McGraw fan and if you’ve ever heard his song, Live Like You Were Dying, you’d know why I can see this from two perspectives.  This song was basically written around the situation his father, Tug McGraw, was in.  Tug had a brain tumor (cancer I believe) and Tim wrote the song with his father in mind.

After hearing this song MANY times over the last few years, I’ve fallen in love with it and I have made the decision, not written in stone, that if I’m ever diagnosed with something fatal and given a certain amount of time to live, I’d like to do what the song says.   HOWEVER, I know ME very well.  There is no one who knows me and all my defects of character the way I do.

Realistically, I would NOT live like I were dying.  I would NOT go sky diving or Rocky Mountain climbing.  I would, however, find forgiveness more than I have before.

I’ll tell you what I’d do if I knew when I was going to die.  I would freak the fuck out.   I would be angry and resentful.  I would be sad and depressed.  Most of all, I would be frightened.  I would be scared.  I would be emotional and sensitive.  I might, through the Grace of God, pull myself out of said anger and resentments, but I don’t know that I would.

If, by some chance, I let go of the anger, fear, resentment and sensitivity, I would make sure every loved one in my life knew how much they meant to me.  I would do a Step 8 and 9 again (#8 - Made a list of all people we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.  #9 - Made amends to such people wherever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.)

I would apologize to every single person I had hurt in my life.  Actually I’ve already done this for the most part, but I’d do it again.   I’d find all the forgiveness within me and forgive all those who have harmed me.  I would forgive them because that is what God would do.   I would forgive them because that is what Jesus would do.  I believe that’s what ANY God (not just the God of MY understanding) would do.   I don’t believe in punishing Gods.  I believe in a loving, compassionate and faithful God.

I would then make plans to have my dogs taken care of.  I would make plans to visit all of my family and friends.

I was also thinking that had I know Todd was going to die BEFORE he died, I would not be any less devastated.   I’m sure his family wouldn’t be less devastated either.  Death is death.  Whether we see it coming or it hits us from outta the blue.  There is no easy way about it.  Death is a part of life.  Unfortunately, some lives are extinguished long before they should be.

I believe everyone needs to take a step back and look at their own lives and forgive those who have hurt them.   It takes more time and energy to hate someone than it does to forgive them and just ignore them.  Or who knows, maybe once forgiveness shows up, the person won’t seem like such a ‘tard after all.

Just my way of thinking.  Hate takes so much energy.  I have a tough time building my energy withOUT hating anyone.  *le sigh*  Could you imagine how much LESS energy I’d have if I fed my hatred of people?  GAH.  Not worth it.

Life is too short to be so angry or so “affronted” by other people.

This post is all about me.  It has nothing to do with you, you or you.  Even though it was inspired by some current events, this is all about me.

Until next time…