500+ for 50 – day 44: if today was my last day

There are a lot of uncertainties in this life.  But one thing is true.  There will be a day when each of our numbers will be called and we’ll depart from our lives in the body and move on to our final resting places.  We can’t escape death.  We can only make our best efforts to promote a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle during the time that we’ve been allotted on God’s green earth.  I believe that the way that we choose to spend our days is very important.  Our Creator called us to live with a purpose.  And the best way for us to fulfill our calling is to live embracing the gifts that we’ve been given and utilize our strengths to promote the well beings of others and love those around us.

If you’ve never encountered it personally, you’ve probably seen movies or videos of individuals on their death beds, calling family and friends to their side so that they can tell them all things that they’ve kept stored up in their hearts over the years.  It’s really sad for me to think that it could take the knowledge of one’s imminent passing to spur on the sharing of one’s true feelings.   We should be telling those that we love and care about how much we adore them every single day.  Not everyone will be fortunate enough to know when their day is approaching.  Only God knows when our time is up.  Today could be the day that we that we take our very last breath.  It could come without warning at any time. 

I know that it sounds cliché, but it truly is best to “live each day as if it’s your last.”  There are no guarantees that we will see tomorrow.  So we really need to embrace the life that we’ve been given and love without bounds.  No one wants to take their true feelings to the grave with them.

In the spirit of this post, I’ve decided to share five things that I would want to be certain that those around me knew if today was my last day of my life on earth:

1. To my family, I love you unconditionally and I am forever thankful for your support… Things haven’t always been perfect in the Deibler household even though on the exterior we sure worked hard to make it appear that way.  But despite our flaws individually and as a unit, I am forever thankful for my Mom, Dad, and sister – I love you all and could have never learned to navigate life independently as an adult without you.  You guys have seen the best and the worst of me, and you’ve always supported what has made me happy.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for loving me.  I certainly haven’t always made it easy.
2. To my girlfriend Kelly, I will never leave your side… It’s safe to say that my relationship with my girlfriend Kelly has been the most spiritually rooted, deeply committed bond that I’ve ever had with anyone in my life.  We came to each other somewhat broken, and the scars of our pasts have not always made love easy, but we’ve remained devoted to one another through thick and thin.  And that’s very special to me.  I know that you’d love for a ring, and I’d like for that, too.  Try to be patient with me, and don’t worry, because I will never leave you.  I love you.
3. To my best friend Jamie, thank you for remaining true…We’ve known each other since we were little.  And even though sports were constantly driving us to compete with one another, we never let that get in the way of our bond.  Competition only seemed to make us stronger.  We benefitted mutually from the growth and development of our own personal talents and skills.  And we excelled as a team, not only in athletics, but in life as well.  No matter where we are, no matter what type of distance may separate us, or how many days may pass in between our conversations, you’ll always be my best friend.  I know that I can count on you.  Thank you for enduring a lifetime by my side with a smile on your face…I’ve enjoyed every moment that we’ve spent together.  I love you, bud.
4. To my cat Dixie, thank you for being a loyal partner in life…  From the day that you were born, you never had it easy.  The volunteers at the SPCA where I adopted you told me that you had a home, but that your owner gave you up.  That must have been difficult.  I’m thankful that now you are forever a part of my home, no matter where that may be.  You drive me crazy at times with your constant energy and pacing, but I wouldn’t trade you for anything.  You’ve been loyal to me through some very difficult times.  And you’ve witnessed my battles with the darkness on a level that no one else has and you’ve never left my side…you’ve only offered me more love and comfort.  I’m sorry for the inconsistencies and heartaches your eyes have seen over the years.  I’m doing my best to make a better home for you today.  I love you, Dixer.
5. To the world, lead with honesty, faith and love and embrace your uniqueness… I’ve learned a lot about life in the 31 years that I’ve spent living on this earth.  To truly capture the lessons that I was intended to receive I needed to make a lot of mistakes along the way.  But what I’ve grown to understand as a result of my life experience has been priceless.  I’ve learned that there is most certainly a God, and He is absolutely miraculous in nature.  I’ve learned that very little of what the masses deem as important has any significance.  Money and things will not make you happy.  True fulfillment comes from knowing the truth and living it with love in your heart.  When you lead with faith, anything is possible.  And always, always remember that God created you with His PERFECT hands.  So embrace who it is that you are and excel at being YOU – no one can do it better.

May God Bless!