Sleep Happy Die Happy

“As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.” - Leonardo da Vinci

I can’t think of many people who would want to think about their death. I am not talking about how you are going to die. I am talking about death itself. The moment when you let go of your life. What will the last thought be when you exhale that last breath of air? Will you leave with a smile on your face knowing you have done all that you can in the time you were given. Would there be more regrets than triumphs.

DaVinci wanted us to think about how we are living our lives. He wanted us to think about what we might do to make a difference in the people and the community and the nation around us. Think about what we could do to be happier. What could we do to strive, to do better in everything we do, to be excellent in whatever we put our minds towards.

I think we need to end the day like we were not going to wake up. If we knew that we were going to die sometime while we slept, would that change how we live today. Would we treat people a little bit differently? Would we try a little harder to spend time with those we love, those who are around us, but we take for granted because they are always there?

One of my favorite shows on TV right now is “How I Met Your Mother”. Barney states in one episode that he was going to make every night LEGENDARY! He would get together with his buddy Ted and do something neither one of them had ever done. Some of the things that make the nights legendary include eating everything on the bar menu, starting a mariachi band, and nearly bungee jumping off the Statue of Liberty.

We don’t have to go to those kinds of extremes, but we could do things we have never done. Try a new food. Go somewhere you have always wanted to go, but didn’t see the reason in it, whether it be expensive or a little far away. Now is the time to do it. Make everyday count for something.

I would also suggest you keep some sort of daily journal about what you have done to make today count. Write down those people you met, those art galleries you visited, those books you wrote, so you can go back later and smile at your accomplishments.