Near-death understanding
At the risk of sounding condescending, I'm not sure to what degree anyone can live every day as if it's their last unless they have actually faced death firsthand.
Having survived two near-death experiences and a robbery at gunpoint that included the firing of an empty gun into my head, I truly believe that I come as close as possible to living every day as if it's my last. Literally not a single hour goes by that I do not think about my mortality and strategize ways of extending my life while making as much of an impact on the world as possible during my short time here.
One of my life coach clients knows a near-death survivor, and he once told me that I have a great deal in common with this person. "You both talk and act so much alike," he said. "You both live the same way. You're always on." He went on to say that he wished that he could have a little bit of whatever we have.
This made a great deal of sense to me.
I know that many people would like to live their lives as if today will be their last, and I know that some even try to do so. And to a degree, I believe that many people accomplish this goal.
But unless you have actually experienced the prospect of death firsthand, I don't think you can ever truly understand what someone like me feels on a constant, ongoing, unrelenting basis.
