A New Year’s Resolution

A New Year’s Resolution

My 8th grade teacher, Mr. Perry, left our class with many lasting thoughts and phrases. His primary goal was to teach us helping verbs and literature. But occasionally we strayed into other topics.  As a former priest, he held very strong religious convictions and wasn’t afraid to share them with us (in today’s environment, he probably would be disciplined, but back then it was called education).

Among other things, he used to tell us to “live every day as if it were your last.”  I guarantee you that, as 12 and 13 year olds, we were more mortified than anything else by this advice – how in the world could we treat any day as if it were our last? We were young and healthy – we had the rest of our lives ahead of us.

Now, forty some-odd years later, I see the beauty in it.  Today may not be my last day, but if it were, I would want to make sure that I did my best , that I told my family how much I love them, that I didn’t do anything that would cause anyone else to think ill of me, and that I could end the day feeling good.  I can think of no better way to preserve my legacy.

Thus, I resolve today to continue to live each day as if it were my last.

And, Mr. Perry, if you’re reading this – be, am, is, are, was, were, have, has, had – BAM!