There is a blog I like to read written by an author named Patti Digh. She also has a book called "Life is a Verb" containing the essays she has on her blog. Her blog is called 37 days and she asks the question "what would you be doing today if you only had 37 days to live?" So because there have been several untimely celebrity deaths lately, I'm posing this question to all of you ....
What would you be doing today if you only had 37 days to live?
47 comments:
Cindy,
you always were the thinker.
37 days? That's not even enough to get me to next football season.
I'd be pissed.
That said. Put my affairs in order. That would take like an hour or so. Tell my family I love them. Leave them everything except a few grand. Tell all my friends that it's been real and that maybe I'll see them on the other side. That's like another 30 minutes or so. Take up smoking again. Spend a week at the Smithsonian. Go see Patsy.
Fly first class to Guam. Sun myself on the rock. Swim naked at Pago. Have a plate of chili over rice at the Union. Find Bast. Drink Jack Daniels to the point of stupidity.
And realize how incredibly, astoundingly and profoundly fortunate I have been to last as long as I have and to see the kind of shit that to which few others can relate.
And then ask for another 37 days.
I like to live each day as if were my last (as Jesus suggested that we all do). Therefore, there is no need to plan 37 days ahead.
Geez Doug, you made me cry..what a great post.
Yeah, what Doug said.
Ric you said it.
I live for the Lord, and that is a daily thing. I may slip and fall on my face within the next 37 days, but that would not change.
I already show my love for my family and friends on a regular basis.
Billy Graham was once asked, "if you could do it all over again, what would you change"? His reply shocked me. "Read the Bible more".
I worked with a guy at Bunny Market (in the old Dededo Skate Land building) around 1992. He was only hired on to work on a 6 month project and once the project was finished he and his girl friend left.
One month later his girl friend showed up and told us that Gabe (his name) had passed away of liver cancer. He wanted to spend his last days on the beaches in Saipan, and thats what he did.
He never told anyone about his cancer though he did wince from abdominal pain regularly.
Doug and Paul,
You have such touching stories.Down to Earth people and Cindy too. Time to be happy for what we have and not for what we don't.Especially inside of ourselves.
I would: Fly to Guam-drive around the Island, watch a sunset on the beach, go to a fiesta. Stop in California to spend a day shopping with Becki. Take a trip to Michigan to visit my brother and his family..take my parents’ ashes to Wisconsin. Get all my affairs in order so my kids won’t have to worry about anything. Pick the music I want played at my memorial/party. Eat dessert after every meal-eat only my favorite foods, drink wine every day. Take up smoking again-cigs and pot! Stop exercising-meditate/pray every day. Fly my oldest daughter and her family to Florida to be with me. Take my daughters sky-diving. Make photo albums for each of them. Have sex every day! Invite all my girlfriends over and give away my shoes, clothes, purses and beads. Take tons of photos and videos to leave behind. Dance every night! Watch as many sunrises and sunsets that I can. Love, laugh, live.
Dougie, you're a poet. Like Cindy said, tear provoking.
Like life, 37 days is a blink of an eye, but if I truly knew I only had 37 days, I thought of a couple things.
Cliche as it sounds, make a video for each of my boys.
Taste my little boys tears when he cries.
Stand out in the middle of a thunder storm and not run for cover. Kiss the trees and the ground and the grass. Tell all those bill collectors that now they have to kiss my ass goodbye.
Spend a couple days making tons of lumpias for every one who loves them. (especially Cindy). Feast on lobster, shrimp, crabs and oysters till I got sick of them. (like that's gonna happen). sit around a camp fire in the back yard every night.
Ask mom and dad to please look for me, if I'm lucky and good enough to ever hold them again.
Drink Jack Daniels with Doug and laugh till my stomach aches.
Oh shit I guess I would finish the laundry.
This is a great thread.
Some of this stuff is like why wait for the last 37 days start it TODAY!
Ain't it ironic that when you contemplate your own mortality how easily one conjures up words to live by.
Yesterday was my B-day.Contemplating mortality is here for me.I realize that life is lived in the "existential" philosophy,the here and now. It's what has always been important to me as far as I can remember. Enjoy life while you have it.My Dad used to say that "All you ever have is your health".As you feel Pat,I hope to "Talk in Heaven".
Happy Birthday Jo!
Happy birthday Joanna! What are you like 29 now?
Ric and DRL, once again you have pointed out how much holier and rightous your lives are than the rest of us.
Joanna, hope you had a great one! Happy Birthday!
Cindy, I think the whole point of that thought provoking exercise, flew right over their heads.(it's really too bad).
Cindy I think you and Pat are just mean.The whole point of the post was to ask what we would do if given 37 days to live.SHAME on both of you for making fun of someonelse because it wasn't what you would have said.I am kind of thinking the same!I have a GREAT wife,GREAT kids,GREAT grandkids and spiritually and emotionally nothing could be better.I don't judge my existence on this planet based on how much material shit I leave behind or how big my bank account is.But rather what I leave behind in lessons learned to my grandsons.I guess now seeing how you feel I would spend the LAST 37 days hoping that some of you would GET it.To quote a country song by the Zach Brown band"A little bit of chicken,fried!A cold beer on a Friday Night,A pair of jeans that fit just right and the radio up!"Go ahead make fun I don't care.I sleep good at night and I don't have to shave in the shower because I can look at myself in the mirror.Cindy you insinuated that Ric and Drl were too ignorant to understand what was being asked.Shame.Maybe we all just have diferent priorities in life.Ya think?
Mat, nowhere in Cindy's post did she "[insinuate] that Ric and Drl were too ignorant to understand what was being asked." Either you are too ignorant to comprehend the English language or your inferiority complex is shining through... again. Have some dignity man and quit pointing out your insecurities to the rest of the world.
If you have really gotten to this point in your life and can't think of one thing you would have done differently then IMHO you've missed the whole purpose of life. Life is meant to be a learning experience. No regrets - but we should at least learn from our mistakes.
Cindy said "Ric and Drl pointed out how much righteous and holier" than you.And Pat said it went"right over their heads". Keep it going rac!Now we know the real reason more people don't log on.Can't stop laughing long enough.Thanks for being in lockstep with your sisters.You proved my point.How the heck can you determine what I would feel (or any one else would feel)if we had 37 days.Maybe you can take an online test!Hahhaha.Yea I'm still living under the rock and your kid can still take me and you must still be proud!Hahhaah.
Cindy's entire post said: "Ric and DRL, once again you have pointed out how much holier and righteous your lives are than the rest of us." Exactly where in there did she insinuate they were ignorant? Self-righteous maybe, but not ignorant. Geesh, I guess there's a good reason you have an inferiority complex.
Hahahahah.Now you're spinning it.I love how this works.The post was about what what would you do.OK! I concede.Your way is better than mine.I give up!You and yours are so much more enlightened than me.OK so let me think.If I had 37 days to live I would?Go fishing,kick it with my grandsons,and work on the Monte Carlo.
Happy belated Birthday Joanna. I hope you spent a special day with those close to you.
Cindy, I do not know what problem you have with Christians, but I will try to explain. Justification and Sanctification, because you brought them up.
Christians are Justified, Glorified and Sanctified under Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Justified means our sins have been paid by Christ on the Cross.
Sanctified(or as you put it Holy) is a description given to Christens. It simply means, "set apart". We are "Holy" in that we have through Justification. It is not by works or deeds that we are, no in fact we are as despicable as the next person. We will not be sinless as long as we are on here. It is not "here" we are looking forward to.
I hope that helps you a little bit. "Holy" and "Righteous" are not words we have given our self, but describe our redemption.
Mat, please don't be so upset about it.
I may be wrong, but it looks like, from the answers given, they were looking for a "life change". We Christians have already made that change.
Why does it mater, we are all going to die sometime, if the Lord tarries. I know I will die someday, if that day is 37 away or 18,000, what does it matter to how I live today.
I have 3 weeks of vacation unused this year. If my boss let me take it, I would at one time, but I already know I will use them. I would work up till I died, or couldn't. I would not quit the job that supports my wife and kids to do something selfish. Just who I am.
I have already planned for my death in a material way. I have enough life insurance so that Jill would not have to work for 10 years minimum.
Mat, I would loved to have you as my grampa. You are a kick in the pants.
RAC, calm down. Your sisters did come across harsh because we did not answer with some sort of answer that was probably posted on the ladies blog on a dayly bassis. Mat, read it correctly, just ask Cindy and Pat, or let them say he took it wrong. You seem to be feeling "attacked" by Mat all the tiem, calm down a little.
I just get annoyed when people act arrogant and self-righteous and have that self-centered attitude that because they claim to be a "Christian" than they have an absolute guaranteed salvation and entry to Heaven so there is no need to improve yourself or change yourself in any way.
Don't brag about being rude to others, be unkind to people, let me know you've cheated on your spouse or your taxes, lie and intentionally mislead others then convince me that because you admit you're a "sinner" and confess all this to the Lord, then you're wiped clean and are free to do it all again next week. It's not how I believe or millions of others on this planet believe so excuse me when I find the "holier than thou" (Exhibiting an attitude of superior virtue; self-righteously pious) attitude quite irritating.
Ric, BTW, to "live each day as though it's your last" is a wonderful suggestion, but Jesus is not the one who suggested it. Find it in the Bible and show me.
Cindy, I thought you were talking about me at first. I am glad you weren't.
No one can be a Christian if they believe there is any other way to Heaven than through Christ Jesus. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through me".
See, no Christian will say that it is "okay" to sin. I know I have mentioned this before, but Christians are expected to "repent" of their sins. Which means to turn away. Yes, we are forgiven for "every" sin we ever committed at calvary. No where does the Bible say, after Christ's resurrection, anyone has to ask for forgiveness after they sin. We sin, but no Christian will say it is "okay" to sin. If they do, they have a problem with the Lord.
As Ric said, we Christians are/try to be meek. We believe we are the least. It is our witness to show you the way to salvation. Not by our example, but Jesus's example.
People have gotten upset at Christians for centuries. As far as being "quite frustrated" to quote you, to killing them. It is okay, and I will not ever be upset at you for hating Jesus or his disciples. Jesus said, "If the world hates you, remember it first hated me". John 15:18
Even those who are now Christians, once hated Christ.
Pat, I know I am not Ric, but I know the answer.
There are many, but the best is probably in the New Testament.
James 4:13-17 "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
It is a great study. I love the book of James.
DRL, stop twisting my words around and acting like you know how I think and feel! Not once have I ever said that I hate Jesus!
Like I have said before. Any questions on Christianity or the Bible, I am happy to answer. If you wish to just email me, do so in private. I will never make fun or in any way look down on anyone for asking the questions.
I too will pray for your salvation. I pray that you all will come to Jesus as the Lord of your life. I wish this for everyone, including Osama Bin Laden. What a great thing it would be to see him in Heaven.
I have heard it said, "there will be three surprises in Heaven. Those who I thought would never get there. Those who I thought would be there and aren't. And, myself".
Cindy, I am sorry if I rubbed you the wrong way, not my intention. If you have not accepted him as you Lord and Savior, you do hate him. Those are his words, not mine.
John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command."
John 14:21 "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me."
John 14:24 "He who does not love me, will not obey my teaching."
DRL, not only have you twisted Cindy's words, now you are twisting the words of the Bible. Nowhere in the examples you give does it say if you don't love me then you must hate me. Love and hate are extremes of the same emotion. Liver and onions are OK but I certainly don't love them. Cotton candy on the other hand I would marry. See how it works? Be careful the way you throw the Bible around - you seem to be teetering on the edge of blasphemy.
rac. I in now way take the Bible frivolously or throw it around. I am very serious about what it says, and study it.
there are 3 Greek words to describe Love in the New Testament. All three are verbs and not emotions.
1. Phileo: Brotherly love. The type of love you would have for food, friends, and a good movie.
2. Eros: A self centered physical love. Often considered lust.
3. Agape: A deliberate love without hypocrisy.
The one used in the passages I quoted is "Agape". This is a devotional love that, in the case of the passages, not emotional, but rather devotional.
These are God's words and I will not twist or redefine them to make someone feel better about them self. Ether you love god or you don't. There is no way to just 'like' God.
I am always here to help, not to criticize. If you take offence to what the Bible says, it is not an attack, but an invitation to understand.
In no way what-so-ever does that explain this love / hate thing you claim. You're only confusing yourself.
It explains what the bible says. If you want to know if you love Jesus, read what he said. If you don't believe what he said, you do love him.
That was simple.
So I guess that means you hate Jesus? Your words not mine.
No RAC, I love Jesus and have given my life to him. He is my Lord and Savior. So, in my words, I love Jesus.
Like I said DRL, you are confusing yourself. Read what you wrote.
This is not one of the ways that I would spend my last 37 days.
I don't have anything to add to this theological discussion except to say today I went to the beach. To see some of the scantily clad creatures that I did today you have to know that there is a God.
Amen Doug.
Oh Dougie, You were always a horn dog...always will be :) Took my kid to the pool today, The only cute guys were the life guards and I coulda been their momma. sigh...
Pat, I went to a July 4th party hosted by a doc I know and there were lots of cute guys there...but all gay....sigh
LOL Sis! Do you know a Doc who's not gay?
All the ones I know are married or gay (or married and gay...lol)
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