Working in a hospital gives a unique perspective on life. Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, wrote an insightful article about the top five wishes of those who are dying. They are: I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me; I wish I hadn’t worked so hard; I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings; I wish I’d stayed in touch with my friends; and I wish that I’d let myself be happier.
Well, dying isn’t something we like to think about, but it is the one thing in life we can be sure of; and it certainly focuses the mind on what’s really important. Macabre though it may seem, perhaps we’d all be better off if we were to remember each morning that this day could be our last, and to focus on the only things we’ll take with us: faith, hope and love.