The Problem with Clichés....

We’ve all heard the saying, “Live each day like it might be your last.”  The problem with this saying is that it’s a cliché.  The problem with clichés is that they once contained volatile truths, but they got so overused and overstated that they have become hollow of meaning.  I believe firmly in the truth that this cliché propounds.  Despite the fact that I believe it, I also quickly forget the weight of its meaning. 

Today I attended a memorial service of a man I deeply respected and genuinely liked.  His death came as a shock to everyone he knew.  Sitting in the church pew today, I listened to people talk about the way Jeff impacted their lives.  I heard their stories and joined in their tears.  One of the speakers said something that really got my attention.  He said he was trying to process his feelings about Jeff’s death when his son reminded him of a profound truth:  We go through this life not thinking that we will lose people whom we love.  But we do suffer lost, it is a part of life, and we are foolish to lose sight of this truth.  

As this message sunk in, that familiar old cliché took on new life.  While I want to live in such a way that I treat each day and each encounter as a treasure, too often I get caught up in the petty things of life.  How easy it is to let the cares of the day pile up and stress me out.  On days like this I come home short of breath and short of temper.  I get fussy about stupid things and snippy about stuff that really doesn’t matter. 

I love the idea of viewing each day as my last, but I too easily forget.  I think the way to bring new meaning to an old cliché is to view it this way:  Love each other like it might be their last day.  When I look at the faces of those I love, and when I think it might be possible that tomorrow I won’t get to take back that tone of voice or silly argument, suddenly something inside me changes.  I want set my frustration aside, focus all of my attention and care on that face, and appreciate that singular, priceless moment.  I hope the more I practice this mindfully, the more it will grow into not just a nice idea, but a way of life.