Living Each Day As If...

I was recently chatting with someone on the instant message service within one of my favorite games. He asked everyone if they "lived each day as if it was (their) last". To which I responded, "No. That can be a dangerous thing for people to do." He became indignant and a bit self-righteous with me, proclaiming that he was doing it right now and it was the best choice he ever made. Everyone should do it; it is so freeing and creates so much love in the world.

The point I tried to make, but his righteous indignation wouldn't listen to, is that not everyone is inherently good.

You see, the catch with people extolling you to live each day like it is your last is the assumption that people are inherently good and want to do good things to others. What if the person who decides to follow that advice is not a good person? What if they are, in fact, a sociopath? A sadist?

There have been a rash of news reports about people going to work and shooting their coworkers. What if that was the result of them deciding to live each day as if it was their last? What if that statement, and belief, freed them to do everything they wanted to, and what they wanted to do was kill that heinous boss that always kept them down and shoot all their coworkers who they never liked anyway?

There have been a couple of parents who have slaughtered their families recently. What if their decision to live each day as if it was their last included being free of all impediments to their happiness, and they decided that their family needed to be the first to go?

You could argue that those who were caught doing the Ponzi Schemes and those on Wall Street who helped create the economic turmoil we're struggling with were living as if it was their last day... and they wanted the most cash and toys when the day was done. They didn't care about the laws or that it wasn't their money or who they hurt, they just wanted to "win" that day.

In my life, I have not always been a nice guy. I admit that I have a dark side that likes to hurt people, be cruel, and is a bit merciless when drawn into an attack. If I live each day as if it is my last, wouldn't that mean that whenever "Evil John" wanted to come out and do something vicious, I should let him? I also have a good side which I foster and feed, and I would hope that my new-found philosophy would mean a lot of good would come to those around me. But I cannot deny that if I live as though it was my last day, some of my baser thoughts and feelings would come out, and people would get hurt.

I agree with the overall sentiment of that phrase, the spirit of it, if you will. But I also am smart and cynical enough to realize that not everyone should follow that particular mantra or belief. It only really works if you free your humanitarian side and do not engage your baser instincts.

I hope that guy I was chatting with continues to tell those around him how much he loves them. I hope he continues to give of his time, money, and/or expertise to those who can use it. I hope he, and the others like him who change their lives for the better using this philosophy, continue to make good, conscientious decisions toward themselves and others.