I Almost Died

I was suffering from a subdural hematoma, a collection of blood between the covering of my brain (dura) and the surface of my brain. 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. I was beginning with the end and working backwards. 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 “stuff” on my list.

Covey says, “If your ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to the wrong place faster.” I was also reminded of what author of  The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, said; “You may feel it’s morbid to think about death, but actually it’s unhealthy to live in denial of death and not consider it inevitable.”

All that being said, I knew I was a bit behind on creating the me I wanted to be. I was really counting on another twenty or thirty years, or longer, but the reality was this might be the end of my planet earth experience. Again, to quote Covey, he 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 affects, but I’ve sure had some heart and head (pardon the pun) 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 actually count this experience as one of the greatest blessings of my life.

Jesus’ brother James said, “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 we’re really going to start with the end in mind, it would do us well to start with our death. What will be said at your funeral? What will you have accomplished that really mattered?

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.

Play to win this week in the game that really counts!