Recently it has been overwhelming, the number of deaths in and around our little town and in our corner of the world astounding even to me, someone who has dealt with a lot of personal deaths and worked in hospice for years. Some individuals seem to have gone way too early and others seemed to have had a very long, full life. Yet death is always sad no matter the age and the sorrow felt is the same.

We never want to say goodbye to our loved ones. We never want death to come in unannounced and take away what is ours. Yet every day someone else has to say goodbye. Someone else has to let go of what if and live with the reality of what is. Someone else is having to give up this old world but is hopefully headed to a better place.

In the processing of grieving and letting go of several people I have known and loved, I have realized one constant truth – everybody dies but not everybody lives.

Sadly, many people go through their life without ever really experiencing all that life has to offer for them. Though we are all appointed to eventually die someday, not everyone takes advantage of the time they have now to live.

So I believe while we are still here we need to explore God’s amazing world. We need to pursue our goals and dreams. We need to find what makes us happy and do it. We need to fulfill our purpose. We need to live like we are dying because we are.

I’m not trying to sound morbid or cliché, I’m just saying tomorrow is not promised to anyone. We could die today in a car wreck or be diagnosed with a terminal disease. We could close our eyes for the last time today and would we have really lived? Think about it. Have you seen all the places you want to see? Have you done all the things you want to do? Have you made a difference in someone else’s life? Will you be faithful till your last breath?

I have known several sweet friends and relatives that have recently gone home, some unexpectedly, some battling to the very end. But what I think I am most impressed and inspired by are the ones who held onto their faith even in the midst of the storm. Those individuals who saw that their ship was going down but weren’t afraid because they held tight to their Anchor, Jesus Christ. I stand in awe at those individuals whose faith did not waver as the winds and waves overtook their earthly vessels. Though they knew death was imminent, they still held fast to their unwavering faith and stated “It is well with my soul.”

These are the people who have inspired me to live every day like it could be my last; to remember tomorrow is not promised to me. These are saints who have fought the good fight. They have finished their course and they have been faithful till their last breath. May we all strive to do the same and remember to truly live every day because everybody dies eventually.