What if you suddenly found that you had only one week to live? I would not wish such news on anyone. We have explored this concept before in terms of life expectancy but let’s think about it again but with a single week in mind. Right now, how long do you think you have left to live? Hopefully, it will be a very long time. But what if you went from thinking you had twenty or more years to live and suddenly found out you had only one more week left on this earth? God forbid that should ever happen to you, but it does happen. Perhaps the possibility is one of the main reasons we all dread that annual visit to our doctor. We fear that we might hear some bad news. I recently had an MRI and a Colonoscopy within two weeks of each other. Both times, I was very anxious less I hear the dreaded news “you have cancer.” We all know someone who received this news but we don’t know how we will respond if the day comes when we hear it.
We would all trade for more time, but if you only had one week, how would you make the best of it? Even one week might be better than the sudden death that comes from an accident or other catastrophe. It is probably too late for those trips you never took or the time to spend with some friends and relatives. However, it might be enough time for some apologies and goodbyes or perhaps one last fling you always dreamed of. One week to spend. So many things you would want to do and so little time. No time to spend worrying about the life you wished you had lived. One week to conclude your business on this earth and wrap it up.
In some ways, it would be wonderful if we were all given a one week warning of our impending death. We might be able to use this last week very effectively. Would you opt for completing some things or would you choose to be more peaceful and contemplative? What are the most important things you would want to accomplish during your last week on earth? Would it be a week of doing or being?
Aging Capriciously 