24-Year-Old Man With Cancer Spreads His Last Words (Hoping People Won’t Have Such Regrets)

We move through many of our days in a cloud of stress and worry. There are so many things to be concerned about. Maybe the combination and intensity of worries change from week to week, but the uneasiness is consistent. We’re preoccupied with the drama of our lives and find it difficult to remember what’s really important. It’s especially hard to step back from the everyday routine to get perspective. Time goes by so quickly – somehow the day disappears. Looking back, none of the moments distinguishes themselves from the other 1440 minutes. It’s a mystery how everything seems remarkably important, and at the same time, nothing really is.

Both small and major life events like birthdays, reunions, trips and weddings speckle our lives, serving as uplifting or sore spots that help us differentiate one day from the next. Oftentimes it’s  the truly critical moments, like receiving a diagnosis of life-threatening disease, that prompt us to reevaluate our lives.

“I am only 24 years old, yet I have actually already chosen my last tie,” writes a man who received a cancer diagnosis in a post on reddit.com. He stresses several points in this article, all of which relate to the importance of living a life of meaning. He explains that he regrets having lived without having contributed anything positive. It’s difficult not to be persuaded into deep sadness as you read his statement. The tone is heavy. He wants others to learn from him, from what he’s failed to do.

Here’s what he wrote…

I am only 24 years old, yet I have actually already chosen my last tie. It’s the one that I will wear on my funeral a few months from now. It may not match my suit, but I think it’s perfect for the occasion.

The cancer diagnosis came too late to give me at least a tenuous hope for a long life, but I realized that the most important thing about death is to ensure that you leave this world a little better than it was before you existed with your contributions . The way I’ve lived my life so far, my existence or more precisely the loss of it, will not matter because I have lived without doing anything impactful.

Before, there were so many things that occupied my mind. When I learned how much time I had left, however, it became clear which things are really important. So, I am writing to you for a selfish reason. I want to give meaning to my life by sharing with you what I have realized:

• Don’t waste your time on work that you don’t enjoy. It is obvious that you cannot succeed in something that you don’t like. Patience, passion, and dedication come easily only when you love what you do.
• It’s stupid to be afraid of others’ opinions. Fear weakens and paralyzes you. If you let it, it can grow worse and worse every day until there is nothing left of you, but a shell of yourself. Listen to your inner voice and go with it. Some people may call you crazy, but some may even think you‘re a legend.
• Take control of your life Take full responsibility for the things that happen to you. Limit bad habits and try to lead a healthier life. Find a sport that makes you happy. Most of all, don’t procrastinate. Let your life be shaped by decisions you made, not by the ones you didn’t.
• Appreciate the people around you Your friends and relatives will always be an infinite source of strength and love. That is why you shouldn’t take them for granted.

It is difficult for me to fully express my feelings about the importance of these simple realizations, but I hope that you will listen to someone who has experienced how valuable time is.

I’m not upset because I understand that the last days of my life have become meaningful. I only regret that I will not be able to see a lot of cool stuff that should happen soon like the creation of AI, or Elon Musk’s next awesome project. I also hope that the war in Syria and Ukraine will end soon.

We care so much about the health and integrity of our body that until death, we don’t notice that the body is nothing more than a box – a parcel for delivering our personality, thoughts, beliefs and intentions to this world. If there is nothing in this box that can change the world, then it doesn’t matter if it disappears. I believe that we all have potential, but it also takes a lot of courage to realize it.

You can float through a life created by circumstances, missing day after day, hour after hour. Or, you can fight for what you believe in and write the great story of your life. I hope you will make the right choice.

Leave a mark in this world. Have a meaningful life, whatever definition it has for you. Go towards it. The place we are leaving is a beautiful playground, where everything is possible. Yet, we are not here forever. Our life is a short spark in this beautiful little planet that flies with incredible speed to the endless darkness of the unknown universe. So, enjoy your time here with passion. Make it interesting. Make it count!

Thank you!

Key lessons to learn from it

1. Don’t waste your time on work that you don’t enjoy

For those of us who spend most of our time at work, we need to choose work we enjoy. In fact, he says that, “you cannot succeed in something that you don’t like.” Instead, the author advocates finding work that truly gives you reason to live.

2. Listen to your inner voice and go with it

We cannot allow fear to consume us. We must ignore others’ ridicule and listen to our inner voice.

3. Take Control of Your Life

Probably his biggest point is that we each need to take responsibility for our lives. The writer hopes that we will make wise decisions to improve health, career and hobby. He doesn’t want his readers to end up like he has, leaving life to chance. Instead, he hopes to inspire us to live life to our fullest potential.

Featured photo credit: Photo by sreejithk2000 via Morguefile.com via morguefile.com

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