Imagine suddenly you no longer exist, poof, from one day to the next there is no more you.
What if you knew that this day would come in a month?
What if it wasn’t for another year?
Or in 5 years?
Would you spend your remaining time differently than you do now?
If so, why aren’t you already doing it?
I have what may be a unique perspective here. I have a brain tumor, glioma, diagnosed August 2023. I was told I had 1-3 years to live with a 99% chance. As it turns out, I have a rare slow-growing type (oligodendroglioma) with the right mutations. I got treatment and now I still have the tumor but I have a prognosis to live for a long time.
So what did I learn? Not much, mostly cliches. But have the drink, laugh with people, enjoy the day. There is no magic revelation. Enjoy the day. If you don’t enjoy the day, learn from that and fix it.
I’d type more but there’s not much more to put. I spent time making a will, ensuring my affairs were in order. I was gonn quit my job and travel, but it turned out I need the insurance. Luckily for me I like my job and my company. Everything is ethereal.
Thank you for sharing and all the best for you!
Yeah. I would stop studying and just focus on things I enjoy
If I knew there was nothing after next week, I’d keep doing what I do, but harder.
because you like it?
I’ll just smoke more weed and play more video games. 🤷🏻♂️
Oh fuck yeah. Id hop on that website showing all dots for kiddie diddlers, and start reducing the number of dots one by one.
I’d put everything on credit cards that I’m responsible for. No co signer. So when I die there’s nothing they can do. Then travel the world. Also would withdraw my 401k and have fun. That’s if I’m dead in a year. By the time they figure it out, I’m dead (that is if I’m smart about how I do it).
What are they doing to do? Dig me up and put me in jail?
My own life only? Not everything?
One year? And I am healthy for it? Maybe quit working, spend the retirement money traveling for awhile. Maybe.
Five years, and I am healthy for them? And only I know this? Increase my life insurance each year, keep working but take longer breaks, try to make sure that my husband can pay off the house and stuff with the life insurance.
Why am I not doing these things? Because they are short term plans that would be harmful over a longer lifetime. The first, obviously, but the second would be expensive and unsustainable as well. Like it or not, I have to plan for a long life, keep healthy, keep my job, and I am pretty happy already.
Yes, yes i would.
But I’m not poofing, so I’m not willing to go to prison.
I’d probably carry on life as normal, but start peppering my conversations with things like “I’m finally looking forward to spending time with my family,” and “I just nailed a huge promotion,” and “I finally just had an offer accepted on a house,” and “I just beat cancer, so we’re finally going to get married!”
If I see my death coming and there’s nothing I can do about it, I want it to seem like the most unfortunate, tragically timed event possible.
Yes
It’s a question I’ve thought about a lot. Not only to me but the limited time I have left with my parents.
YOLO’ing only works for those without responsibilities to others or foresight. If you actually knew your life was ending, that certainly changes priorities. Life becomes a sprint instead of a marathon.
To those who say without knowing the future, “Live every day as if it were your last,” I like to tack on, “… But there’s a fair chance you may actually live for another year or more!” Stay grateful; seize the day, sure, but you still need to tread water.
