September brings back some bad memories. Half a decade ago, I lost my father. It hit me like a blow because I least expected it.
The events that led to his demise keep playing back in my mind every September.
The memory of our loved ones never passes away, no matter how long they have been gone.
Death awaits all of us. The destination of life is death. While we mourn today, we must know where our fate lies tomorrow.
Even if we lived for a hundred years on Earth, life is too short to assume we have it all. One day will be our death day.
No one knows what any day brings forth. We don’t even know whether today may be our last.
Death has no clock. No wonder it gives us no reminder of its visit. Death is that friend who will visit each of us once in our lifetime, but… we all don’t know when.
Life is short ― really short. Life is so short that it measures only six feet. No matter how long we may ever want to live, our bodies can only go six feet. We must endeavour to live our lives all we can because death is at our heels all the time.
Life is too short to have a tall list of excuses. Death reminds us that our dreams have deadlines!
Our lives can be sapped from our beings with the snap of a finger. Today is a present. It is a gift for only today. Do today what you can, as much as you can. There may never be a tomorrow. All we have is today.
Tomorrow is a promise that may never be fulfilled. The only promise is today ― now. Life must be lived. Those dreams must be chased now.
Those we love should be told now. Tomorrow may be too late because we may be late.
Today is a gift in our hands. Tomorrow is a gift yet to be in our hands. Everyone is promised tomorrow, but not all of us may ever have that promise. So… when you make a budget for life, make one for death, too. When you look forward to life, look forward to death, too.
Death is a delicacy everyone will taste once in their lifetime. When you make life plans, make one for death. Make plans for yourself and don’t forget to accommodate others in those plans, too.
All of our lives on Earth are only as short as six feet. Death is like an emergency. It shows up when you are least prepared.
Our tenancy in this life can be abrogated any day. Life is as short as a midget. There’s no sense in struggling with others over any property when death is the master who determines who lives and who doesn’t. It’s baffling to despise others when both the rich and poor can go as deep as only six feet into the ground.
Love people. No one is destined to live forever on Earth. Our tenancy on Earth is short, so while we wait for death to terminate that tenancy, all we owe others is our heart; our love. Live each day as though it was your last. Love each day as though it was your first.
Life gives us a chance to live in love. Death gives us the chance to love those who live. If corpses know not the good things of life, what’s the sense in denying the living such pleasure? Love them now or never. Love deferred is love denied!
Love me now, while I have breath, before I take a rest in Earth’s depth. Help me today if you can; else the only help you may give me tomorrow is to help carry my corpse.
We all have an outstanding debt to pay death. While we wait to pay that, we all owe each other a debt of outstanding love.
Give your loved ones a befitting life… not a befitting funeral. Lavish them with a glowing tribute while they live… not when they are no more.
Our living body instead deserves all the pleasure and attention society pours on our corpses. If you love somebody, show it when they are alive… not when death has stung them.
If we knew our lives were only six feet tall, we would be humbler. If we knew our lifespan was determined only by how soon death visited, we would treat others with more love and care.
If you have no power to slam the door in the face of death when it comes, then you are human.
Love and respect all others as human, too.
Death is colour blind. It is not biased. It knows neither the rich nor the poor. It knocks at the door of both the white and the black.
When death comes knocking, you can’t give excuses why you can’t leave, so don’t give excuses as to why you can’t live!
Live your life the best way you can. Serve God. Serve people. Love all you can. Laugh all you should. Chase your dreams all you must. All you have may just be today, so make sure you have no regrets whatsoever if tomorrow never comes. The journey is short. Make it worthwhile.
Life is short; too short to be jealous of others; too short to be embittered. Live. Love. Laugh. Life is only six feet tall. All you have is today. Live it all. Don’t postpone any of it.
We should not only mourn our loved ones today. We should prepare to be mourned tomorrow.
Kobina Ansah is the Chief Scribe of Scribe Productions (www.scribeproductions.com) and Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com).
