Yesterday afternoon we went to Malibu for a hike. On the way back our car got rear-ended by a car from behind. We were at a stoplight and the light just turned green. The car in front of us was trying to restart from a stall. We were just waiting. The driver behind us must have not been paying attention, because she took off and ran into us. I heard a big bang and was jarred in my seat. Even though the speed was low, I still felt the impact for many hours afterwards, both physically and emotionally…
In a way, it was a wakeup call. It reminded me that even though human beings are extremely resilient, life can be rather fragile and uncertain. It reminded me of what’s important in my life – the first thing, and the only thing, that came into my mind was the people I love.
At night, we watched the “Bucket List.” We keep a running movie list on Netflix, so it was interesting that this was the movie mailed to us. If you have not seen the movie, I highly recommend it. If you have seen it, you know what I am talking about. Two dying strangers put together a bucket list – things they wanted to do before they died. Together they crossed off each one on the list and it transformed both of them in the last months of their lives – their eyes were closed but their hearts open. It was a powerful and touching story.
What if you only had only one year to live? What the things would you most want to do before you died? Why not keep a running bucket list and cross off items on the list now, while you still have the time? Imagine how you’d live differently, and love differently?
In the end, it does come down to two simple yet profound questions:
“Have you found joy in your life?” “Have you brought joy to someone else?”
Our answers to those two questions are indeed the yardsticks for whether we are living a full, meaningful and fulfilling life. What are your answers?
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