The Last Day: I will not waste this gift
Some truths are both terrifying and freeing: you will not live forever. And yet, today—you live.
Quote:
So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12
I will live this day as if it is my last.
And what shall I do with this last precious day which remains in my keeping?
First, I will seal up its container of life so that not one drop spills itself upon the sand. I will waste not a moment mourning yesterdays misfortunes, yesterday's defeats, yesterday's aches of the heart, for why should I throw good after bad?
Can sand flow upward in the hourglass?
Will the sun rise where it sets and set where it rises?
Can I relive the errors of yesterday and right them?
Can I call back yesterday's wounds and make them whole?
Can I become younger than yesterday?
Can I take back the evil that was spoken,
the blows that were struck,
the pain that was caused?
No. Yesterday is buried forever and I will think of it no more.
I will live this day as if it is my last.
And what then shall I do? Forgetting yesterday neither will I think of tomorrow.
Why should I throw now after maybe? Can tomorrow's sand flow through the glass before today's?
Will the sun rise twice this morning? Can I perform tomorrow's deeds while standing in today's path? Can I place tomorrow's gold in today's purse? Can tomorrow's child be born today? Can tomorrow's death cast its shadow backward and darken today's joy? Should I concern myself over events which I may never witness? Should I torment myself with problems that may never come to pass? No! Tomorrow lies buried with yesterday, and I will think of it no more.
I will live this day as if it is my last.
This day is all I have and these hours are now my eternity. I greet this sunrise with cries of joy as a prisoner who is reprieved from death. I lift mine arms with thanks for this priceless gift of a new day.
So too, I will beat upon my heart with gratitude as I consider all who greeted yesterday's sunrise who are no longer with the living today. I am indeed a fortunate man, and today's hours are but a bonus, undeserved.
🚀 Why have I been allowed to live this extra day when others, far better than I, have departed? Is it that they have accomplished their purpose while mine is yet to be achieved? Is this another opportunity for me to become the man I know I can be? Is there a purpose in nature? Is this my day to excel?This series features select excerpts from The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino—a timeless source of inspiration. As we close the first half of the year and prepare for the next, I believe its wisdom offers clarity, encouragement, and momentum for the journey ahead.
What’s Your Thought?
What would I begin today if I knew I wouldn’t see tomorrow?
What unfinished purpose is this new breath inviting me to complete?
Am I living on accident or on assignment?
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Deeper Dive
📚 Resources:
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
“The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch (YouTube)
4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
🛠 Actionable Tips:
Write a “Live Like It’s My Last” List: 3 habits, 1 conversation, and 1 risk you’d take today if it were your final day.
Use the Three Gate Rule: Before speaking or acting, ask—Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
End each day by answering this: Did I live fully, love deeply, and leave nothing undone that mattered most?
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