When Are You Going to Die?

Richard Carlson, Ph.D., was an author, psychotherapist, and motivational speaker, who became famous with the success of his book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff... and it’s all Small Stuff (1997). The book became one of the fastest-selling books of all time.  It is divided into 100 brief chapters.

  The last chapter is entitled, “Live This Day as if It Were Your Last. It May Be.”  Carlson lived his last day on December 13, 2006.  He died of a  pulmonary embolism during a flight from San Francisco to New York, leaving his wife and two teenage daughters.

  Carlson said that he ended his book with this chapter as a reminder of how precious life and loved ones are.  He wrote: “I often wonder, when listening to the news, did the person who died in the auto accident on his way home from work remember to tell his family how much he loved them?”  Carlson started the 100th chapter asking, “When are you going to die? In fifty years, twenty, ten, five, today? Last time I checked, no one had told me.” 

  He died suddenly and unexpectedly nine years later at the age of 45. We do not know when our last day will be on this earth but we can live every day to the fullest.

  "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).