There will be a last moment one day, which means the hours will become more precious simply because there are fewer of them left to waste without consequence.
And there will be a last moment one day asking me, why wait until scarcity forces me to value my time when I can value it now while it’s still abundant,
But there will be a last moment one day telling me, I can live in a way that doesn’t require panic later…
The clearest measure is wisdom in my reactions, steadiness in my choices, kindness under pressure, honesty when lying would be easier.
And the clearest measure asks me, if I had to prove I truly lived, would I point to my columns of gain—or to the way I learned to be a better human,
But the clearest measure tells me, my life can be counted in how I’ve grown, not just in what I’ve collected or completed…
The slow refinement of my inner life means I become someone who can forgive faster, love cleaner, speak more truthfully, and stop repeating the same self-destruction like it’s fate,
And the slow refinement of my inner life asks me whether becoming wiser where I used to repeat myself is evidence enough that I truly lived,
But the slow refinement of my inner life tells me, I can practice growth every day in small repeatable ways…
To say I have fully lived means I can look back and say I used my time to become more real, more grounded, more loving, more brave, not just more busy,
And to say I have fully lived makes me ask whether, when the years and hours are laid out plainly, I could say yes without having to exaggerate.
But to say I have fully lived tells me this, I can choose to live fully now, so one day the answer comes without regret.
• Time will run out someday
• I don’t want panic as my teacher
• Growth is my true evidence
• Wisdom is worth more than applause
• I can live fully starting today
