Would you want to be this way?

[jlunt]

Last June I wrecked my motorcycle. Laying along the side of the road for about 20 minutes before the ambulance came, I thought I was going to bleed out and die. I didn't like that idea, but what you gonna do? So I thought to myself "if I live through this, I'll live each day to the fullest."

So after surgery and a few months in a hospital bed, I started getting around again (obviously I didn't die - yahoo!). Now I'm nearly back to normal. My day to day life is pretty much what it was before the accident - only slower. I came to the realization that, for me, living life to the fullest is simply getting through the day and experiencing the little things: cutting the grass, feeding the rabbits, taking my grand-daughter to ball practice. That's a good life. Oh, and no more bikes.

I know this post isn't exactly on topic, but it's close.

[buddhu]

We are all under a death sentence. So what?

I agree - except for the "so what".

"So what" belittles what is, for many, many people, the very fact that drives much of human creativity, urgency and ambition.

[Denny]

"So what" belittles what is, for many, many people, the very fact that drives much of human creativity, urgency and ambition.

some of us like to put things off 'till closer to the dead line. Just better under pressure, eh!

[crookedtune]

One of my Dad's favorite sayings was, "No man ever wished from his deathbed that he had spent more time in the office." And yet, he was a very dedicated (office-based) worker, and a very successful and responsible man. I was always amazed at his natural Zen perspective and sense of balance.

My perspective and attitude are always in bad need of adjustment, but at least I know how I'd like to be.

[jim stone]

I guess there could be something to living everyday like it was you last. But I think the reality is that much about living is fairly mundane and involves the care and nurturing of people other than yourself including sometimes those who really have an extremely limited amount of time left to live. Worrying about your own life in this regard seemed to me to be counterproductive, and doesn't seem to help in taking care of those mundane aspects of living. I realize, of course, there are individuals who may need imminent threats/danger, higher level of anxiety to focus and perform better in life.

He saw life as a gift, and he lived his life with a rare generosity of spirit.

There is certainly no need to be given a death sentence before you can live your life this way. Irena Sendlerowa was a perfect example of this, she died Monday.http://www.irenasendler.org/

There's nothing in 'live every day like it was your last' that means
you worry about your own life or that you fail to love others.
Being awake, not walking around dreaming about the past
or the future or what you should have said to so-and-so
six years ago, is a good idea for lovers. If I knew I would
die in an hour I would be more inclined to spend it
with people I love.

Of course nobody says you need a death sentence to live
this way, the idea is that it would help.

There is a saying: Zen is everyday life. What's mundane
is a matter of perspective. In Buddhist retreats you sit
and watch your breathing, which becomes boring
as boring can be. Then the teachers tell you to
attend to each breath as though it was your last,
and the breath stops being mundane.

There's a line from a Flannery O'Conner story:

She would have been a good woman if she was going to
die the next moment all of her life.

[Jack]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG I LOVE FLANNERY O'CONNOR SHOUT IT OUT I LOVE HER AND I LOVE YOU MORE FOR MENTIONING HER!

/now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

[dwest]

There is a saying: Zen is everyday life. What's mundane
is a matter of perspective. In Buddhist retreats you sit
and watch your breathing, which becomes boring
as boring can be. Then the teachers tell you to
attend to each breath as though it was your last,
and the breath stops being mundane.

So true. What I am trying to articulate is that mundane is a part of living a full life. The trick is learning to recognize that without the unpleasantness of a possible "you are going to die any sec/min/day/year now" My hope is that Robert Solomon didn't wake up everyday wondering if this was going to be the "day." And as I have learned medical death sentences aren't always very exact.

BTW O'Conner could have been my mother's younger clone, spitting image, very spooky.

[hyldemoer]

Death isn't the problem. Becoming dead is.

Not every one is lucky enough to just drop dead. Dying is usually tedious, painful, and embarrassing.

As long as one's life isn't full of the tedious, painful, and embarrassing stuff of dying, most people seem to be oblivious that they're mortal.

[djm]

most people seem to be oblivious that they're mortal

They probably have better things to do.

djm

[Ronbo]

We are all under a death sentence. So what?

I agree - except for the "so what".

"So what" belittles what is, for many, many people, the very fact that drives much of human creativity, urgency and ambition.

More power to 'em. It is something that you are aware of, all the time, every day, but you can't let it panic you. You are gonna live till you die, so proceed onward. Living each day like it is the last can be very, very exhausting, if you are on constant high fire all the time.

[jim stone]

There is a saying: Zen is everyday life. What's mundane
is a matter of perspective. In Buddhist retreats you sit
and watch your breathing, which becomes boring
as boring can be. Then the teachers tell you to
attend to each breath as though it was your last,
and the breath stops being mundane.

So true. What I am trying to articulate is that mundane is a part of living a full life. The trick is learning to recognize that without the unpleasantness of a possible "you are going to die any sec/min/day/year now" My hope is that Robert Solomon didn't wake up everyday wondering if this was going to be the "day." And as I have learned medical death sentences aren't always very exact.

BTW O'Conner could have been my mother's younger clone, spitting image, very spooky.

Yes, there is another Buddhist saying:

After the ecstasy, the laundry.

On the other hand a student once asked Suzuki Roshi
'What do you do with your spare time?'

He laughed and laughed.

[dwest]

That's only because after a while Suzuki Roshi didn't have any spare time! I think I'll bake some bread.

[doogieman]

I've had some surprise health issues in the past few years - enough to make me realize that I'm not "drivin' this bus". I lived the illusion that I was doing this and I am planning that, I'm going here and I.............

It's a privilege we have to keep on keepin' on. I practice more (because I like playing music) I dance with my wife and spend time with the kids and grand-kids, I spend more time in the garden and I walk to work so I can enjoy the mornings. I worry less and say thanks more.

[TonyHiggins]

I work in an out-patient clinic where we see a lot of cancer patients. Some know they are going to die soon and others are hopeful they'll survive. Some hope against bad odds. One thing we notice is that as long as people have the physical strength for it, they maintain a sense of humor. A woman told me her friends asked her what she did to lose weight like that. "Well, I got cancer." She remarked on their embarrassment and laughed. Another woman was spending a lot of money on her garden because she loves her garden and figured there was no point in saving for the future.

Anyway, being there has hammers home for me that there are no guarantees. People go from no symptoms to some odd complaint and a diagnosis in short order. It could be me or a family member any time. Now, I don't worry about it and tell myself that the odds are basically in my favor, but I appreciate the transience of our time here.