Drinks at work, a function to celebrate 10 years anniversary for one of the most loved co-workers at the small company I work for. After a few rounds of drinks, the boss, owner and General Manager sits next to me as people shuffle around seats to mingle. Then, he talks to me about how life is too short and why is it that so many of his friends are working long hours, paying their mortgage and never enjoy life. Not that he’s not working hard himself, the man is a walking workaholic, but now he’s suddenly convinced that it’s his time to travel around the world and live life to its fullest, especially when it comes to extreme sports trips: ski, surf, motorbikes, anything goes.

I’m trying to squeeze in a word to protest that not everybody has the kind of money that he has, definitely not me and apparently not many of his own friends. But a man of his magnitude doesn’t listen as he goes on and on explaining that NOW is the time to switch gears because you only live once. Agree. The man is ‘on the money’. Literally! I tell him this is really inspiring and that I’m going to plan my next trip overseas right away and I trust he will approve it.

That takes me back to those occasional yet frequent thoughts on how we are all only temporary visitors on this planet, and time is running out. You don’t want to look back in regret once your time is up. Let’s take it to the extreme for a moment: what if someone told you that today is your last day and you’re invited to your own funeral tomorrow afternoon just before sunset? how would you feel about it? would your eyes be filled with tears because you’re going to miss watching your kids growing up and you’re not going to be there for them? will you be disappointed that you haven’t fulfilled your dreams to travel the world or finish that book you’ve always wanted to write and publish? will you regret working too hard all your life and not spending enough time doing the things you love with the people you care about the most? isn’t it better to think about those things today, well in advance, while you still have a chance to turn things around and call to action?!

So what are you waiting for? every time you cross the road could be the last time you do it. Every mole you discover on your skin can be the first sign of melanoma creeping inside your body. Every little pain you might occasionally feel can be a symptom of the beginning of the end – cancer. Why don’t we all stop waiting and start doing what we really really wanna do. Right now! Before it’s too late…