Last Day.

I saw this on Quora, written by Marcy Stehling, and it was as if it could have been written by me and I just absolutely felt  it, so here it is, now I share it with you to enjoy as well:

If this was the last day of your life, would you still do the same things that you did today?

Originally Answered: If you knew this was your last day, would you do the same things you have been doing?

Oh heck no, I wouldn’t be doing the same things I have always been doing.

Are you kidding me? Like I want to die and have someone read my old journals! I’m gonna be searching for those things and destroying every one. Well, wait, I’ll be dead, so who cares anyway. Strike destroying journals.

I’d be checking my life insurance again, to be sure it is enough to bury me. I wouldn’t want my kids to have to foot the bill for my funeral. Yes, that I’d do for sure.

I have a couple of secrets I’ve never told anyone. I’d have to get rid of the evidence real quick. Or else my people might say, “Well that old geezer sure had us fooled” after they see me loaded into a body bag. Some secrets will go to the grave with me.

I have to pause and ask myself how I would feel about my kids digging through my junk and throwing most of it away. Is my sock drawer neat and tidy? Are all my dishes done? Have I swept that pesky corner where dirt wants to pile up? Is my bed made? Are all my papers in order and all bills paid? What about my gun? Who will take that? There’s a loaded shotgun in my closet, hope people are careful, maybe I better unload that sucker. And what about my home, my fifth wheel camper? Wonder who will end up with it? And my dog, My sweet Ted, who is going to care for Ted, that bundle of energy encompassed by a fat little body? I would worry about Ted a lot.

I’d have plenty of things to do on my last day. The thing is, no one, generally speaking, knows when it’s their last day. So we leave this world just like we came into it. Empty handed. And we leave our life and our habits and our secrets and our possessions behind for all the world to peer into.

It’s something I’ve thought about, ever since I helped clean out my Granny Liz’s house when she went to assisted living. I felt creepy at first, going through Granny’s things, digging through greeting cards and receipts from old bills, to-do notes in a tiny notebook. Finding my Gramps sick little toys, like a tiny kaleidoscope that shows a woman undressing when you turn it. Good grief, Gramps. I never did get comfortable going through Granny’s old things. I felt like I was in a place where I had no business being.

Now I will be tasked with cleaning out my parents’ home some day, and In comparison with Granny’s, cleaning out my mom’s old junk will probably take me a solid year. I know I’m bad, but every time she keeps a mayonnaise jar or an old catalog, or an appointment card for an appointment done, I envision a great big dumpster sitting in the front yard, filled to overflowing. One person’s treasure is another person’s trash. Or something like that. I hate empty jars and grocery bags and old papers piled everywhere. I try not to think about it.

On second thought, if today was my last day, I wouldn’t want to spend it making my house look perfect for the ones who will have to clean it out. On my last day, I just want to be surrounded by my peeps. My beloved family members and my very best friends in the world. I’d like to be able to tell everyone how much I love them and how much they have meant to me. I’d like to tell every one goodbye and tell them that I’ll be waiting for their arrival in Heaven. I would remind them to get right with God today, because it could be their last day too.

And that brings me to the most important part of my last day. It doesn’t matter if my dishes aren’t done, or my sock drawer is a mess, it doesn’t really even matter if my secrets become common knowledge. What would matter to me most on my last day is to be right with God. To check myself and to pray for forgiveness for my shortcomings.

When evening comes on my last day, I hope I won’t be sad to be leaving all my beloved ones behind. I hope I will be on fire with the knowledge that I’m going to be face to face with my Creator very soon, and to be joyous at the thought of joining Jesus and worshipping with the angels.

Death is only the beginning of a new adventure. The ultimate adventure. I hope I don’t waste my last day on earth lamenting the past. Or trying to make it appear that I was perfect in every way for those who will come and clean up behind me. I think I will just relax on my last day, with my people around me and the joyous knowledge that soon enough we will all be reunited again.

Now I ask myself if I’m ready. If I’m ready to close my eyes one last time on earth, and be flown to Heaven by the angels.

I pray that I am. No tears of sadness or regret.

When God is ready for us to go to our Heavenly Home, we better be darn sure we are ready for God, or else the destination might not be so pleasant. And I know just where I want to spend eternity.

It might be kind of nice to know what day will be our last. I wouldn’t waste it, I know that. Just think, I’ll be off on a brand new adventure, and I won’t even have to pack a bag. Everything I need will be there when I get there. How sweet is that? God has it all figured out, I need not worry about my last day. It’s going to be a good one.