so, what if today was your last day?

one of the things i'm currently observing in pop culture is this real trend toward the fraility of life. i know, it's shocking, especially when you hear about actors and musicians and stars who put themselves in dangerous situations and just barely walk out alive--maybe this is the hollywood response to this, i'm not sure.

meredith asked on grey's anatomy, "if this was your last day on earth, how would you want to spend it?" in a 2006 episode of grey's anatomy.

john mayer sings, "you better know that in end/it's better to say too much/than never to say what you need to say again..."in his hit single, "say", released last summer.

nickelback has jumped on the current band wagon. the band just released "if today was your last day"....here's a portion of my favorite part of the song:

if today was your last day, and tomorrow was too late

could you say goodbye to yesterday?

would you live each moment like your last,

leave old pictures in the past,

donate every dime you had?

and would you call those old friends you never see?

reminisce old memories?

would you forgive your enemies?

and would you find the one you're dreaming of..

The ending lyrics remind listeners: "so do whatever it takes/'cause you can't rewind a moment in this life." Isn't that so, so true...life is fragile, and brief, and short, and the next second is a gift and not a promise. I can count on two hands the moments in my twenty-two years that have been "perfect." The moments where, if i were to die right then, I would be satisfied with what I was doing and how I was living life. Here are a few:

-my second-to-last day on site in Philly, when one of my students gave away her shoes to a child at Carroll Park.

-the first time I actually "led" trailer park, my sophomore year, and we had tons of students come to work with the kiddos there.

-making stockings at BCM leadership and sharing intangibles with one another

-the first time i ever heard the song, "from the inside out" and i felt this huge yearning inside of me, undoubtedly the finger of God, and my soul longed for the phrase "let justice and praise/become my embrace" to become a true part of my life.

-sitting on the edge of a huge mountain on the parkway with Angel, eating Arby's and reminiscing and enjoying the beauty of friendship.

-calling my mom to tell her i won the concert tickets she had been dreaming of, but couldn't afford, and having her come down to go with me.

-laughing over and over with ellen during summer missions and knowing that i made a true, "for-life" kind of friend

you see, in the perfect moments...material things aren't what matter in them. grades vanish. money isn't relative. it's about relationships. friends. love. fellowship. service. giving. caring. enjoying the beauty of what's there together. i wish i had more of the moments than i could count on two hands.

so, what's one of your perfect moments?