I tried to pretend that my shower this morning was my last. It wasn’t an easy thing to do. Doing something daily makes it commonplace and subject to being taken for granted. That the probability of showering again tomorrow is very high proved to be the greatest challenge to my fantasy. Nonetheless, imagining that it was my last briefly gave me a greater appreciation for the warm water and soap cleansing my body.
My motivation came from a growing awareness that it is a tremendous mistake on my part not to treat each and every moment as if it’s my last. While the probability of the next moment is high, it is never guaranteed. The youthful mindset of invincibility is supported by this better than average likelihood that tomorrow will be another day, but the fallacy is in believing that it is absolutely inevitable.
The profound lesson of 9/11 is to never leave a relationship as if it can be treated better at a future time. It is a tragic mistake to ever miss an opportunity to say “I love you” or to truthfully say whatever needs to be said at the moment. It is a tragic mistake to ever believe that tomorrow will afford the chance to rectify today’s wrong. When I come to accept this truth, it will change me and my relationships. That’s one step toward a better world.
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