Early Expiration Date

My aunt died last week, at only 66 years old, in a car accident. Waqar, a programmer who used to work for me, died a couple of days ago of a sudden heart attack. He was 36.

Death is on my mind. A lot. How sudden it can be. The ultimate loss of control – we can’t control when, or how we die. Our last moments with others. What words are left unsaid or feelings unexpressed.

Nathan has been diagnosed with an early expiration date. He wasn’t supposed to take a single breath. He is here, with us, 9.5 years later. Yet I don’t want to live in denial. He could outlive us. But he fights huge odds every day. Breathing is an issue with him. Every illness takes a toll on him. I still don’t sleep through the night, always worried that he may simply stop breathing one night.

But then again, I may die before him. In fact, I may die today.

In Buddhism, you are taught to meditate on this every day. It’s the ultimate course correction for life. If we believe we may die at any point in our lives, we’ll let go of a lot of expectations, unnecessary emotions, fear, control, and other harmful things that derail our lives. Some believe it’s a depressing way to live. I used to find this liberating – back when I had the time and energy to think about these things.

But this is the year. The way this year has started, I’d be an idiot not to hear the lesson – loud and clear. Pay attention. Any of us can die at any time. Don’t waste time. Seize this life! Enjoy it! Love, live, enjoy it to the max!

To celebrate this, I created a vision board – something I haven’t done in years.

Enjoy! And join me in creating one, if you can.

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