Imagine yourself on your deathbed right now and ask yourself this: have I experienced life, do I have any regrets? Just because you are young and you think you have a whole life ahead of you doesn't mean you cannot have really lived. When a child dies, they always say that they should have had more time. Well, they didn't get a long life, but that shouldn't mean that they hadn't really lived. Having lived shouldn't be determined by how long you lived but how you lived.

This is a realization that seemingly few people my age come to. Although I wish the circumstances had been different, I am blessed to have learned this lesson.



I awoke four minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off- 6:11. But what was the ringing and buzzing coming from my bedside table? Ugh, my phone. Who was calling me this early?

Ugh, and again! 6:12. Why won't they stop calling me?!

Fine, I'll answer it. Unknown number.

6:13.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's your Mom's friend."

"Oh, hi. What's going on?"

"It's your Mom. She says it's her time. She wants you to come."

"Wait...what?"

"Your Mom is dying."

"Oh my God...I'm coming."

Never before had I felt more shock. I couldn't even comprehend...what would I tell my sister? Mom was fine yesterday. What happened? I can't...what am I supposed...ugh. 6:15. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

In only four minutes, my life was changed.

I arrived at her bedside with icy tears searing down my cheeks, my face swollen, barely able to breath. My Mom's eyes swam with pain, their color drained away. Her breaths, weak and wispy, forced themselves from between her dry lips. And still, she was beautiful. Perhaps it was her uncannily calm facade, or her smile despite the gloom of the situation, but she was still glowing with a surprising beauty.

With strength and certainty, she told me that she wasn't afraid to die. She lived fully, regretted nothing, and found peace with all. She would have liked more time, but she didn't need it. She told me that some lives are meant to be short, but that's okay because they can be just as fulfilling, like hers. That day, she made me realize that you can't waste time simply existing, you must go out and really live. Because a few minutes will pass, and everything could change.