Something to Ponder: If you knew when you were going to die, but it wasn't soon, what would you do? ( Archived) (31)

I originally posted this nearly 2 1/2 years ago, but something I read recently got me to thinkng about it again.

If you knew when you were going to die, but it wasn't right away, what would you do?

If you had been given the gift of knowing when you were going to die, but that it was… Say 3 – 4 years into the future and you would not pass BEFORE that time - What would you do?

If you somehow knew “when” but did not and could not know any specifics of your life except the end date and that your health would remain until very near the end– How would you live?

Would you take more chances knowing that you wouldn’t die UNTIL then and figure that, provided you didn’t “take out” someone else, anything less than death would be fairly inconsequential? Or would you take fewer chances in the hopes of living pain free until the end?

Would you have less patience and become more confrontational knowing that your time was limited and therefore not to be wasted? Or would you develop more tolerance and understanding knowing that in the end, all that really matters is how you feel about yourself?

If, contrary to the popular Tim McGraw song, you didn’t need to go “skydiving, rocky mountain climbing, 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu” etc… because, thanks to a full life, you’d already done all of that stuff – What would you do with your remaining time? Would you quit your job, or keep working because that’s what you’re good at and you enjoy it? Would you change things in order to more fulfill your remaining time or keep them the same because you’re comfortable with the status quo?

And who would you tell about this knowledge? Everybody? Or certain selected individuals? Family members or just close friends? Would you tell only those whom you believe would understand? Or would you tell no one at all?

If you do not have a “significant other” would you search frantically to find “the ONE” knowing your time was running out? Or would you still let nature take its’ course, on the understanding that deep and abiding friendship is the purest form of love? And if you have a significant other, would you share this knowledge with them or keep it to yourself so as not worry them unnecessarily?

On that note - Would you work at developing more friendships or would you work at deepening the friendships you already have? Or would you work at distancing yourself, so that fewer people would be affected by your passing?

Would you make funeral arrangements in advance? And if so, how far in advance? Right now? Or with 2 years, 1 year or 6 months left?

If you belong to a particular faith – Would you more diligently pursue your faith? Or would you become disenchanted because of the “unfair deal” you got?

If you do not belong to a particular faith – Would you consider joining one in hopes of finding answers? Or would you turn your sight inward and try to figure things out on your own?

...If you somehow knew when you were going to die, but that it was some distance into the future – Would you live like you were dieing? Or would you accept death as just another part of living?

…Just curious…

Thanks, Di! I appreciate your insight and thoughtfulness. At times it seems to me as if folks live as if they're too busy to die - that it simply can't happen to them, or that, at worst, it's nothing more than an exceedingly dim eventuality.

Even those who acknowledge that it could be tomorrow secretly believe that it won't be for many, many years. (And hope is a good thing!)

I was just curious how people think they would react to the certain knowledge of a specific date of their demise. Would they work harder at checking things off their "bucket list," or resign themselves to not being able to accomplish everything and so simply concentrate on the most attainable?

Personally, I can only think of a couple of "loose ends" that I'd want to take care of. Everything after that would be gravy. Come to think of it, every day I wake up alive right now is gravy and the loose ends are only threads to be added to the eventual tapestry of my life.

Thanks Marseilles. I don't happen to agree that it's a silly question -- I assume, by your answer that you'd change absolutely nothing at all. (I wouldn't change much myself.) But some folks would undergo major changes.

If someone wants to do something pretty badly, time (read money, experience, etc...) might indeed be an issue. For example: All "X" really wants to do - "X's" ultimate goal - is to restore a vintage auto and drive it from coast to coast. "X" has done the math and knows that comfortably (taking into account time needed, capital required, etc...) it'll happen about the time they retire. But then "X" finds out that they're gonna' croak 2 years before retirement... Will "X" find a way to make it happen sooner? Or re-evaluate their goals and pass the torch to someone else?

I'm just curious as to how different folks would react...