What? Another day?
We think we're immortal, don't we?
I mean, how many times has it been when you've gotten up in the morning and said to yourself - "Today's the last day of my life". Have you? Ever? (Please don't suggest I use Prozac. This is an intellectual conversation, not a humorous one!) Say you know for sure, today's going to be your last day. What would you do different?
Would you still hit that snooze button? Would you still plan your day ahead from the moment your eyes open? Would your brain keep goading you to get up while running down things to do for the day even before you opened your eyes? Would you?
Would you be always 30 minutes ahead inside your head until you reached your office desk? And then heave a sigh and switch on your computer and check your mail? Would you then get totally immersed in trying to resolve issues cropping up? Until about 10 in the morning when your brain says, "C'mon, let's take a coffee break"?
And then go through meetings acting knowledgeable when you knew they were a sheer waste of time? Would you then go through lunch talking about inconsequential things while fulfilling the most basic of human needs?
And then when it's late afternoon, would you start planning for the evening? What are the errands to run? What are the groceries to buy? Why not catch up on that movie you've been wanting to see? Would you go home and browse some more and switch on the TV?
And then, finally, when your head touches the pillow, what do you think? A good day? A bad day? What are the things to be done tomorrow?
Is this life?
Living, as it were, in the future, all the time? An automaton? Well worse. At least an automaton doesn't get frustrated!
So, my question is, if today is the last day of your life. What are you going to do different?
Smell the flowers? Feel the breeze? Okay, okay, we've all done that, haven't we? Sometimes it's a birthday, sometimes it's the New Year's Day. Sometimes, the first day of a well deserved holiday. But these don't qualify.
How would you do the same things that you would do otherwise differently?
Would you wake in the morning and sleep for another half an hour without feeling guilty? Would you get to work late and say honestly, "I was having such a wonderful early morning, peaceful nap that I didn't want to give it up". Would you enjoy the first coffee of the day slowly and leisurely so that the feeling lasts the whole day? Would you eat lunch not just for filling your stomach but to cherish each morsel you put in your mouth? Would you walk out of office in the evening and look up and think "What a wonderful day I've had". Would you have an evening of love and laughter and no technology?
And when you put your head on your pillow, would you smile and say to yourself "I've had a great life. I can die peacefully now".
If today was my last day, I would do things diffently, wouldn't I?
Wouldn't I?
I mean, how many times has it been when you've gotten up in the morning and said to yourself - "Today's the last day of my life". Have you? Ever? (Please don't suggest I use Prozac. This is an intellectual conversation, not a humorous one!) Say you know for sure, today's going to be your last day. What would you do different?
Would you still hit that snooze button? Would you still plan your day ahead from the moment your eyes open? Would your brain keep goading you to get up while running down things to do for the day even before you opened your eyes? Would you?
Would you be always 30 minutes ahead inside your head until you reached your office desk? And then heave a sigh and switch on your computer and check your mail? Would you then get totally immersed in trying to resolve issues cropping up? Until about 10 in the morning when your brain says, "C'mon, let's take a coffee break"?
And then go through meetings acting knowledgeable when you knew they were a sheer waste of time? Would you then go through lunch talking about inconsequential things while fulfilling the most basic of human needs?
And then when it's late afternoon, would you start planning for the evening? What are the errands to run? What are the groceries to buy? Why not catch up on that movie you've been wanting to see? Would you go home and browse some more and switch on the TV?
And then, finally, when your head touches the pillow, what do you think? A good day? A bad day? What are the things to be done tomorrow?
Is this life?
Living, as it were, in the future, all the time? An automaton? Well worse. At least an automaton doesn't get frustrated!
So, my question is, if today is the last day of your life. What are you going to do different?
Smell the flowers? Feel the breeze? Okay, okay, we've all done that, haven't we? Sometimes it's a birthday, sometimes it's the New Year's Day. Sometimes, the first day of a well deserved holiday. But these don't qualify.
How would you do the same things that you would do otherwise differently?
Would you wake in the morning and sleep for another half an hour without feeling guilty? Would you get to work late and say honestly, "I was having such a wonderful early morning, peaceful nap that I didn't want to give it up". Would you enjoy the first coffee of the day slowly and leisurely so that the feeling lasts the whole day? Would you eat lunch not just for filling your stomach but to cherish each morsel you put in your mouth? Would you walk out of office in the evening and look up and think "What a wonderful day I've had". Would you have an evening of love and laughter and no technology?
And when you put your head on your pillow, would you smile and say to yourself "I've had a great life. I can die peacefully now".
If today was my last day, I would do things diffently, wouldn't I?
Wouldn't I?
posted by abhijit at 2:13 AM
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