This weekend I learned that a wife of a good acquaintance who was probably in her late 40s or early 50s died suddenly from an aneurysm. On the same day, I learned that a fellow pilot friend of mine, who I’d lost touch with for a few months, had died of cancer. He was in his 50s. I’d heard he was sick, but didn’t realize it was that bad.

Oddly enough, it isn’t them that I’m thinking about now. I’m thinking of the people they left behind: husband or wife, family, close friends. I’m thinking of the empty place in bed, the empty seat at the dinner table. The remaining family members having an experience during their daily routine and not being able to share it with the person they’ve spent much of their life with.

So I guess that’s why Carpe Diem comes to mind. Grab life and make the most of every day. Tomorrow could be very different — or might not come at all.

On a lighter note, there was an episode of the Simpsons where Homer is told he only has 24 hours to live. He makes a list of the things he wants to do before he dies and starts doing them, crossing each one off as he complete it. Webomatica’s comment reminded me of that. Homer, of course, doesn’t die, but the episode still manages to teach a good lesson.

A book I read recently had an anecdote about figuring out a life’s passion. Something along the lines of, if you had only 24 hours to live, what would you regret not having done in your life?

The answer to that question is what is suggested we should spend our lives pursuing.