What If You Only Had Today To Live?

We all get told that we should “live everyday like it’s our last day,” I however firmly believe that we take life for granted. Anything could happen at any second; there are so many people who are sick and live everyday as best as they can because they do not know when their last day is. This is one of the things I not only despise humanity for… but also myself. We are the race of selfishness- we believe that every second we have is a right and not a gift.

There are women fighting for their lives in hospital beds after being assaulted, there are coughing and crying children whose lungs do not allow them to breathe, there are men with scars on their hands as they drag heavy metal limbs in physiotherapy. And us? We lie in beds and protest against the work load we have, complain about that person who stole our crush; we act as if our lives are so bad that the world is against us. The truth? We are against ourselves and excuse our pathetic behaviour when there really is no excuse.

So here is the million dollar question: What if you only had today?

I’d sure as hell stop complaining all the time. Yes, I may be tired but there are people in this world who do not even have beds to sleep in let alone children who cannot even read a book, forget going to a prestigious school with enormous amounts of pressure. I would tell my family that I love them. Despite how much they may annoy me sometimes and make me want to rip my hair out… there are so many people who have lost their loved ones. I would tell the friends that truly do love me that I appreciate them and all that they have done for me. I would let go of any grudges I may be holding onto because at the end of the day it’s only hurting me. I would smile at strangers because we never know the demons weighing others down. I would spoil my girlfriend and make her laugh because she deserves that light-hearted relationship that makes her comfortable. I would work as hard as I possibly can, I would put myself out there and stop letting my fears hold me back. I would forgive myself.

It could be today, today could be your last day or your last good day- or you could let it be just another day and waste 86 400 seconds that could have been the greatest you have ever lived. We are the generation of excuses: Stop. Before you even attempt to make a lame cop out. Just stop.

Take a deep breath and open your eyes, you’re alive. No matter how dark it gets, you’re alive for a purpose. Go and find it. Live today and the next day and the next.

Damnit…just live.