If we all die tomorrow
Written by Grace Hessian
If we all die tomorrow
It’s a bit of a bleak title, I know, but hear me out.
This topic originated from the song If we all die tomorrow by Tom Rosenthal, and while listening to it, I just kept thinking, genuinely, what would I do if I knew everyone was going to die the next day?
Knowing myself, I would probably throw my phone out the window to stop myself going on social media all day and then immediately regret it. I would like to think that I would do something productive though. Besides, I think the internet would probably be down that day anyway.
People are probably going to want either an interaction or an experience. Many people will want to spend time with family or friends and their loved ones and to tell people how they feel about them, while others want to do exhilarating feats like skydiving or nostalgic exercises such as swimming, painting or walking.
The whole thought experiment exposes ourselves a bit. When done properly, it reveals what you want out of this life and why you fear to do it. For so many situations, we’re afraid of the awkward follow through. If on the final day, you want to confess your love for someone, perhaps that means that you’re afraid of an awkward rejection and uncomfortable aftermath. If on the last day, you want to spend time with your loved ones, that may mean you regret you didn’t spend time with them when the time was bountiful.
I think it is important to remember that although it is just a thought experiment, it is ridiculous to disregard it as having no real-life value. It presents our goals and dreams, our regrets and fears, and what I would argue is most importantly revealed: how far we are willing to let awkward situations stop us from being happy.
Much of what we would do on the final day hasn’t been done before in our lives because we were afraid of the awkward consequences. We avoid telling people how we feel and appreciate them, for fear they will react negatively and we are left with an awkward situation and poor communication.
We are afraid to be risk-takers and to be vulnerable. We are afraid to be alone in a room and to be speaking alone.
We would regret so much on that final day. I wish I had seen that person when I had that time. I wish I had stopped for a chat. I wish I had done what I wanted, instead of what other people wanted me to do. I wish I had not taken my friends for granted. I wish I had voiced my opinion more. I wish I had run in the rain. I wish I had been bolder. I wish I had danced or swum or read or played or run or laughed or sang.
But once we stopped with the regrets, we would turn to the time we have left. We would do everything we could and everything we wanted. We would take every single second for ourselves. We wouldn’t waste a single moment. So why are we still wasting our time now? Why are we afraid of awkward silences and disagreements? Why are we choosing our work over our happiness? Why do we not take risks? Why do we not spend more time being honest in our opinions and feelings?
If nothing matters in the end, then everything matters.
What would you do if we all died tomorrow?