Skip to main content
The Weekly Winning Thought

How Almost Dying Became One of My Greatest Blessings

By November 30, 2022No Comments

“You may feel it’s morbid to think about death, but it’s unhealthy to live in denial of death and not consider it inevitable.”

-Rick Warren, from the book “The Purpose Driven Life”

Have you ever had the privilege of almost dying? I have. It happened on December 2, 2013. A nagging headache prompted me to cancel my plans that Monday morning and pay a visit to my family doctor. A few hours later I found myself in a hospital bed in the emergency room reviewing a CT scan of my brain with my new doctor, a neurologist. She was explaining what might be needed to remove me from harm’s way.

I was suffering from a subdural hematoma, a collection of blood between the covering (dura) of my brain and its surface. My neurologist said that if she couldn’t get the blood removed through medication, she would have to perform brain surgery in an attempt to correct my situation. Failure to stop the bleeding would result in my central nervous system being shut down, which would lead to death. She then asked me if I had a living will.

What do you think about when you’re in this situation? A lot!

It sure gives new meaning to habit #2 from Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit #2 is “begin with the end in mind.” It was a little late for me to think about beginning with the end in mind as I lay in that hospital bed that December day. I was beginning with the end and working backward. Could this really be happening to me? I’ve got so many things I haven’t done yet, many of which I had been delaying until I did all the other “stuff” on my list.

All that being said, I knew I was a bit behind on creating the me I needed and wanted to be. I was counting on another twenty or thirty years, or longer, but the reality was this might be the end of my planet earth experience. Covey says that if you’re not creating the me you want to be, “then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default.”

Doesn’t that describe so many of us; living our lives by default rather than living with intentionality?

I’m happy to say that the heavy doses of medication administered by the medical professionals worked. I avoided brain surgery and was able to walk out of the hospital less than forty-eight hours later with a full recovery, but life hasn’t been the same since. I have no medical side effects, but I’ve sure had some positive heart and mind changes. I look at things a lot differently now. I’ve had some false starts and missteps along the way to my new goals, but I’m all the better for having had this experience. I count this incident as one of the greatest blessings of my life.

The book of James says, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that (Jm 4:13-15).’”

If you want to start with the end in mind, start with your death. What will be said at your funeral? What will you have accomplished that really mattered? Covey says, “If your ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to the wrong place faster.”

A subdural hematoma is unhealthy. So is living in denial of death and not considering it inevitable.  The Bible says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hb 9:27).” How are you doing with your plans? Death is inevitable. Living a life that matters is not.

Are you a business owner, executive, or other professional looking to grow your business and improve your life? If so, see how Bill and his firm might be able to help you: Northstar Leadership