Maybe It's Something I Just Ate

Ever since I listened to the Chief in Little Big Man proclaim “It is a good day for dying” it has stuck with me as one of the most profound things I’ve ever heard. The most objective, practical view of this thing we call “life” informs us that the great common denominator is its end as we know it, and that even the wisest person on earth cannot say with absolute certainty when that inevitable transition is going to occur. Therefore, it makes sense to treat every precious moment of life as if it’s our last. The adolescent shield of invincible immortality persists into our supposed maturity and in the process throws our priorities completely out of whack. There was a brief period after September 11 that no one left the house without remembering to say “I love you” but the emotions subsided. I have an ever-growing list of things that I want to do tomorrow or the next day, but if I seriously comprehended that tomorrow is not guaranteed I would surely give attention to the most important matters today. If I knew for certain that today was the last of my earthly existence there would be a certain urgency to reconciling, forgiving, loving, and letting myself be loved. Not only would I press harder for the tying up of mundane loose ends but there would be a most sincere focus upon harmonizing with the eternal. When we wonder what could ever transform the world into a better place, it occurs to me that the key might be living every day in such a way that it is a good one for dying.