A nickel back
If today was your last day; And tomorrow was too late ; Could you say goodbye to yesterday? Would you live each moment like your last? Leave old pictures in the past ; Donate every dime you have? Would you call old friends you never see? Reminisce old memories? Would you forgive your enemies? Would you find that one you’re dreamin’ of? Swear up and down to God above? That you finally fall in love ? If today was your last day
- from ‘If today was your last day’- Nickelback (album: Dark Horse)
I enjoy listening to Nickelback. Love the raw feel. Would give my right thorax to have a voice like Chad Kroeger’s.
This song does a lot for me – the punchy rhythm, the voice (again!), the riff and and……
Will admit to not being much of a lyrics person, the music in a song is what usually gets me switched on. This piece though does have a poignancy that, for me, strikes a peculiarly fabulous balance. The message is quite sober yet delivered in this eminently listenable fashion that turns my left and right brains on simultaneously, in a manner of blogging.
Paeans have been sung to this thought of living your life as though it was your last day on earth; nothing mind shatteringly new there. Life has taught me, however, that the only way a message transcends the world of the abstract and becomes truly real is via life situations and yesterday, this particular message did the hop, skip and jump, across dimensions, from concept to reality.
I had just got news that the son of a good friend of mine had been taken to hospital with signs of meningitis. Thankfully, diagnosis later showed it to not be so but his malady lingers and tests go on.
It shook me up quite a bit coz I’ve seen this kid grow up, for almost a decade now. Have seen him graduate from high school, get into college and come back an engineer. Tried speaking to my friend yesterday but all I heard was sobs from the other end of the line. Was duly shattered.
Around the dinner table, much later in the day, I presented the thought to my 12 year old. Her usually quick tongue deserted her as – let’s face it – its the kind of question / thought one cannot have pat answers to. We pondered on the issue for a bit and moved on to the question – ‘how would my friend’s family live once this whole painful situation was over?’ Her mind couldn’t fully grasp the depth of the thought. Its ok, she’s a little girl.
Surely, there would have to be a difference of some sort when we travel to the edge and are hauled back. Maybe a greater appreciation for the nuances of life, re-evaluation of relationships, regrets one is determined to correct etc etc.? I don’t know coz I’ve not traveled that road.
That doesn’t, though, hold me back from preparing and by preparing, I could mean leaving old pictures in the past, donating every dime I have, calling old friends I never see, reminiscing old memories, forgiving my enemies………
Old jungle saying ‘don’t take yourself too seriously, no one else does’. In this context, its a truism that would do one good to hold close to heart. Life is too short and just too beautiful to be something with only one focus – self.
So, what if today was your last day?
C.
You have given me plenty to think about on the long journey across the seas. Take care.
too many topics @ angles to look at. if today is the last day, one will be more woried about what will be in store after that than the years behind. if to the edge and back, then will be a new man with new experience. just think of all those crunch moments you have been through and you will know the answer.
Allen, can’t say I fully agree with you on the thought. I think, in addition to the thought about the future, one would try to reconcile what was done/ not done in the past, as well.
I, for one, would make a truckload of apologies to various people and that would have nothing to do with my future as they wouldn’t play a part in it anyway.
A ‘new man with a new experience’ would look back and make things right.
Either way, looking back seems to be the first reaction.
C, it takes a Canadian rock band to get you thinking: props for that
Sudden illnesses or worse, unexpected deaths, of loved ones get me all introspective too…regrets are the bane of humanity, so looking back on the follies of the past will be painful, especially when you know you have no time to address them in the future. Fortunately, the average life comprises the good, the bad and the painful,we can choose our nostalgia…no?
Real life situation no one wants to address to, isn’t it? I think with just one day to go, there won’t be much time to go back in memory to think of others, but you. And the sudden unexpected appointment with you lord will be more on your mind than whom you threw stones at. Though this may happen in occassions where you have been back from the edge. So I agree with Allen who differentiated it above.
Understood your point.
I will differ, though,as my appointment with the Lord and the things that I am worried about vis-a-vis meeting with him has everything to do with my existence hitherto and so I’d spend a good amount of time reconciling post repentance.
The only things I need to look ahead for are my family’s wellbeing and there is only so much one can do at that fag end.
Heck, I’m preparing to meet my Maker………..I think my family will understand !
I agree with some of the comments made here. I’ve seen people who knew they had couple of months are per the doctors. They look back and try to do as much as possible to correct their past and make sure that the family is given a good future. But the question here is about a day or so.. in such a situation I differ with the blogger..
when at end, look for a new beginning.