LIVE EACH DAY AS THE LAST DAY

“Live everyday as if it were your last; because some day you’re gonna be right.”

         These exquisitely prescient words of wisdom were spoken by Muhammad 

Ali, the American professional boxer, activist and philanthropist who is universally regarded among the most celebrated and significant sports figures of the 20^th 

century. But this advice is not essentially unique to him alone, for it has been repeated, in one form or another, on countless occasions before and after him.

 Marcus Aurelius, the ancient Roman stoic philosopher and Emperor noted:

           “Live not one's life as though one had a thousand years.

            But live each day as the last."

While the Holy Bible in James 14:4 elaborated even further:

“Whereas you know not what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

Undeniably, the striking impact of these messages and the intentions contained 
in the statements cannot ever be understated, nor can they be ignored.

         Quite recently, I had the distinct pleasure to entertain a longstanding 
friend and a person for whom I have the highest regard and respect for his
 genuine sincerity and faith in God and in man, Roman Catholic Archbishop 
Robert Rivas of the diocese of Castries, West Indies. During our wide-ranging discussions, he made the following very profoundly true statement:

“The only difference between living and dying is a single breath.”

This statement immediately struck me as a powerful reminder of the singular 

need to unequivocally accept the words of Muhammad Ali, and those of the 
others, and equally, it confirms the reason for each person to fashion a life
 that truly reflects the fact that one day it will end, and after this, nothing
 else can help.

         In 2005, Steve Jobs, one of the greatest entrepreneurial visionaries of our times, the founder and CEO of Apple Computers and Pixar Animation Studios, delivered a commencement address to the graduating class of Stanford University. The advice he offered in this very short presentation was so profound that it will be listened to over and over for many years to come by countless succeeding graduating classes and equally, countless numbers of other people in all walks of life. I have no doubt also, that many will continue to derive great benefit his words of wisdom. At the time he delivered the address, he was aware of his own diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer, a universally fatal disease, and that his own life span was seriously compromised. In a surprisingly far ranging address he made the following admission:

 “When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like this: -‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.'- It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am doing today? –And whenever the answer has been ‘NO’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” 

       This advice is unquestionably one of the soundest that can ever be given to anyone truly interested in living a full and complete life. One which chooses to reward the individual for effort and commitment for trying to cope with his overflowing dreams, hopes and ambitions, that of necessity, must include making plans for, and facing, eventual mortality. The fact that at the time of delivery of his address, Jobs was already facing his own imminent death, will surely speak volumes to anyone truly interested in living the true life. He concluded by making a statement that will apply to every person who truly wished to live a full and satisfying life:

“Never let a day pass that you will have cause to say:
 -I will do better tomorrow.”

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that denies the reality of death, and one where any discussion of death is taboo and one which no one is encouraged to think or talk about. Society as a whole gives it no important consideration except to be ignored until the time comes. People in general, are determined to live their lives to the fullest extent for as long as they can, and are not concerned with dying until it arrives. The late James Dean, the young, very talented American actor who created a sensation as a character actor for the few years before his untimely death in 1953 at the age of 24 years, viewed life very much in this light. His views are reflected in his celebrated quotation:

“Dream as if you’ll live forever.

Live as if you’ll die tomorrow.”

To him, life was a challenge handed to him to do as he pleased, to chase his dreams as far as he wanted, and to relish his successes for as long as he can. Such people accepted the fact that their life was limited without fear or sadness, but rather with unconditional hope and celebration. It was this fundamental attitude which gave them the urgency and purpose to enjoy the best of their lives, to set no limits to their dreams, to squeeze every drop of life as they can, and to live as much as possible, with the unequivocal conviction that whatever happened after, was beyond their control and therefore, of no concern to them!

         They think only of what can be achieved today and do not waste their time predicting the future or worrying about missing out of any of the intangible promises waiting for them. They know that no one has any control of what happens in the future, and to worry was merely wasting useful time and effort. To them, the present offers the best opportunity to find fulfillment, to satisfy their dreams and to find happiness. They know from past experience that they could not truly depend on the future for it may not be what they hoped for, or if it will even be present when the time comes. This concept was very beautifully described by the well respected American author and poet, Muriel Strode when she wrote:

“I do not ask for faith in the hereafter, but let me believe in today,

 and no hereafter can present that I shall not be well prepared.”

         But contrary to the view of many detractors who tend to place a literal interpretation to Jobs advice and see it as a ‘reckless philosophy’ that encouraged people to behave as if there is no tomorrow and grab as much as they can without regard to need or impact, in fact, he meant the very opposite. Living each day as if it were the last offers support to those in need of confidence to override their fears and uncertainties of life, to live a life of their own choosing and to challenge the prevailing attitudes. The true intention is not just to do as much as can be done, but rather, since no one knows when his last day will be, then the aim is to spend each day to the fullest doing the things that actually matter, and not be concerned about what others do or think. As it turned out, while living by this principle, Jobs developed several amazing companies during his relatively short life span and he did so by doing what he enjoyed doing, quite often against other people’s objections, in the spirit of the quotation.

            For my own self, I accept this advice personally as an invitation to do those things that I truly hoped and dreamed of doing, and as I prepare for the inevitable, I will try to live each day to the fullest I can as if it were my last day. 

-Indeed, a good life is not about encouraging people to work harder and acquire more, but rather to encourage them to seek out what they love to do the most, and to give their best each day, as if this day was going to be the last.

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