What if you only had a year left?



 When someone asked me, “If you knew you had only a year left, would you change anything about how you’re living now?” my first instinct was to think, “I’d work less, or maybe not at all. I’d make sure my wife was taken care of, and I’d be ready to go. I’d walk on the beach every day…”



But then I paused and reconsidered. I thought, “Hold on a minute. Would I really do anything differently?” After reflecting, I realized that I wouldn’t change a thing.


If we live a life of virtue in adherence with our core values, we align ourselves with a sense of purpose that transcends fleeting desires and external circumstances. Every decision we make, every action we take, becomes a reflection of the principles that guide us. 


This consistency not only brings inner peace and fulfillment but also creates a ripple effect, positively influencing those around us. In living this way, we find that even in the face of challenges or the uncertainty of what lies ahead, we remain grounded and unshaken, knowing that we are living authentically and with integrity.


Also, we only have this moment. This very moment—nothing before this or after this exists. The past is but a memory, and the future is merely a possibility. All we truly have is the present, the here and now, where life unfolds in real-time. It’s in this moment that we have the power to act, to choose, to be fully alive. 


When we embrace this truth, we free ourselves from the weight of regret and the anxiety of the unknown, allowing us to live more fully and intentionally, appreciating the beauty and significance of the present.


Consider these two passages from centuries ago and notice how they still hold relevance today. Despite the passage of time, the wisdom they offer remains applicable, proving that some truths about life and human nature are timeless. These ancient insights continue to guide us, showing that what mattered then still matters now. 


“Keep in mind how fast things pass by and are gone—those that are now, and those to come. Existence flows past us like a river: the ‘what’ is in constant flux, the ‘why’ has a thousand variations. Nothing is stable, not even what’s right here. The infinity of past and future gapes before us—a chasm whose depths we cannot see. So it would take an idiot to feel self-importance or distress. Or any indignation, either. As if the things that irritate us lasted.”


— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 5, Chapter 23


“Even if you were destined to live three thousand years, or ten times that long, remember that no one loses any life other than the one they are living, and no one lives any life other than the one they are losing. The longest and shortest lives are brought to the same state. The present is the same for everyone, and it is lost in the same way for everyone. So, what is lost is clearly insignificant, for what is gained is insignificant.”


— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 2, Chapter 14



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