Anyone who listens to Country knows Tim McGraw’s song “Live like you were Dying.”

I’ve been humming that song a lot these past 48 hours or so…Ever since my dad informed me that there is a blood test you can take that detects if you will get breast cancer someday. 

Now, as I’ve been told many times growing up, someone in my family is going to get it.  The question is:  Do I want to know NOW if it’s going to be me?  Do I really want to know?

 At first I thought, “Heck yeah.  Why in the world would you not want to know?” 

But now…not so sure. 

At some point, we’re all going to die.  At some point, we’re all going to get something. 

Like, I could take this breast cancer detecting test.  It could come back positive and then I have surgery…and then I end up with skin cancer two years later and die.  You know what I’m saying. 

Going back to the Tim McGraw song…Honestly, do people really want to go “skydiving, rocky mountain climbing, go two-point-seven seconds on a bull named Foo-Manchu” when they’re about to die?  Not my cup of tea - That’s all I’m saying.

I read in a book a few months ago that we should all think like we only have three months left to live.   I tried it, and it does wonders to your life:

Instead of being like, “Daniel, why are up before the sun is even up?” as he stands by my bed in the morning, I’m like “Daniel.  I love you!  Thank you for getting up so early so I can spend a few more extra minutes with you today!” (slightly exaggerated)

Or

 Instead of being like, (sarcasm) “Yeah!  I can’t wait to put on this dress that I’ve been wearing since high school,” it’s more like “Who cares.  I’m going to be dead in three months anyway.”

Trust me.  It works.  Especially…ESPECIALLY with parenting.  If I could give any advice to future mothers it would be that:  To live like you’re not going to be around forever.  The spills, stains, tantrums, missing your favorite tv show because your kids won’t go to sleep, the constant questions, reading the same books over and over again….all of that is so easy to deal with when you put things into perspective.

Now what would I DO if I really knew I was dying: 

I would take my ‘House for Sale’ sign down and live out my final days with my favorite people in the world AND I would let myself eat dessert for every meal and not feel guilty about it. 

(Hmm….maybe I should trick myself into believing I’m dying)