What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail or you knew your time on Earth was limited?

In my morning reading plan, the author asked what you would do if you knew you couldn’t fail. It reminded me of a movie I saw called “100 days to live”.  Spoiler alert: I am going to talk about the end of the movie, so if you want to watch it, you may want to skip this paragraph and move on to the next.  The movie was a thriller based on suicidal people who couldn’t get it together in life and only found joy once they made a contract with someone who would kill them in 100 days, if they went out and enjoyed life, took a chance, and found happiness.

This show, although a bit gruesome, kind of made me think; what if I knew I only had a short time to live, my health was good, and I could do what I wanted?  I wouldn’t suggest doing illegal or unethical things; just taking chances by going all out and learning something new or not feeling self-conscious and afraid to fail.  Think about that for a moment, ruminate on that concept.  What would you do?  Would you learn to dance, take singing lessons, take acting lessons, go on a long trip and explore the world, take a class, learn a new language, apply for that job you’ve always wanted, start a new business, write a book, paint a painting, ask someone out on a date, or something else?  The possibilities are endless if you knew your time was limited.

Guess what? The possibilities are still endless and we are never guaranteed tomorrow. Heck, we aren’t guaranteed the next minute or even the next 30 seconds. Life is fragile and unpredictable. Ask anyone who has lost a loved one suddenly, or even not so suddenly. Ask anyone that has a loved one with a terminal diagnosis, or maybe you are the one with a terminal diagnosis. Life is fragile, but beautiful if you choose to make it beautiful. This doesn’t mean life is without difficulties, sorrow, or challenges. It certainly is; but it can be beautiful and painful at the same time. Grief is hard, unemployment is hard, death is hard, loneliness is brutal, depression is challenging, but finding joy in the moments takes practice and determination.  Taking chances is what makes life interesting and worthwhile.  Remember; a butterfly will never soar with beauty unless it struggles, fiercely, to come out of the cocoon. The struggle is what makes its wings strong. If you were to cut open a cocoon and “help” a butterfly out, it would never take flight because it never had the chance to strengthen its wings.  

Take flight; let your wings soar. Do a dance, sing a song, apply for a job, learn a new language, or just step outside and take a walk. Enjoy life and be bold, confidant, and courageous.