Like Ulysses S. Grant, I would rush to finish and publish my memoirs.
I would try to do meaningful part-time volunteer work. If money/insurance weren’t factors, I would make it full-time.
Again, if money/insurance weren’t factors, I’d do the world travelling I’ve never done, a la Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in their recent movie.
With no more fear of career consequences, I would speak out like never before about mental illness in America — in my blog, in op-eds, in person, what have you.
I would tell my dad I wish I had understood him sooner.
I would tell my mom I wish I had understood her sooner. (In an entirely different way.)
I would spend more time with my sister, niece and nephew.
If I had never found another significant other, I would try to think back on the positive times — even with E. (difficult though they are to find, LOL). If I had found new love, I would tell her I love her every hour of every day and say that I can only pray in your grief that the intensity of our love may be of some comfort for its lack of duration.
Part two of the world-traveling bit, and more manageable on a budget — I’d pilgrimage to Annapolis to meet Therese (pre-arranged with Eric; no stalking involved) and try to travel to meet as many other BB members who had also touched me as possible.
And for goodness sake, at the very end, TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF HOSPICE, PAIN-KILLING DRUGS, DNR ORDERS, etc. Let me die in dignity, not (unnecessary) agony.

1. I would visit all the places I always wanted to go Portugal. Lake Como, Venice, with my son & husband
2. I would make sure all my loved ones knew how much I loved & appreciated them
3. I would tell God how much I loved him & thank him for protecting me & loving me all these yrs even though I was unlovable & ask him to forgive me for all my sins I’d also ask him to heal me because it is his will I should be made whole.
He clearly says in his word ” I will take sickness away from the midst of thee the number of the days I will fulfill.” Exodus 23,25.26. The days of our years are Three score & ten Ps 90: 10 Take me not away in the midst of my days. Ps 102:24
4. I would spend more time with my mom, thank her for doing such a good job raising me and just have fun doing nothing together
5. I would want to die with dignity at home with my loved ones & not in a sterile hospital environment & I would definitely laugh a lot.
6. I would take advantage of seeing all the live concerts I could & travel to Tuscany to see Andrea Bottecelli & the Rolling Stones
7. I would spend every waking minute enjoying myself & not think about negative thoughts.
8 I would enjoy good restaurants, scenic attractions, try to see all the wonders of the world.
9. I would make sure my affairs were in order, charities funded. Worhip @ my church more, enjoy the fellowship of my christain friends
10. I would finish my memoirs & leave a legacy for my teenage son

1. I would not tell my children I was dying, just show them how important they are to the world.
2. I would stop being so anal about everything being “in its place”, and driving people crazy by that.
3. I wouldn’t worry so much about hurting peoples feeling, I would tell the truth and stop looking for approval.
4. Reread the Bible cover to cover
5. Plan my own funural..be buried at midnight and server ice cream. And pay for it.
6. Arrange that a birthday card to be sent to each of my children with a small token of my love for at least 5-10 years…post marked “Heaven”.
7. Thank my ex-husband for giving me wonderful memories.
8. Stop repressing anger.
9. Play under a waterfall naked.
10. Learn to forgive, not with words…with my heart.

As an old (very) Boy Scout, considering what would I do if I knew I was dying seemed to touch on the things I would want to in anticipation of a long life also. So, I considered the question sort of like the Scout Law. And I used the creation of my list to create some pillars of conduct. It made me think of fresh starts and the old, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
1.I will pray, read my Bible and be still, so that I will know God.
2.I will love my family so that they will know of my love by both word and deed.
3.I will live my life in such a way that my actions will say, “I care about you.” to everyone.
4.I will work and play with joy and dedication and apply those approaches to every activity.
5.I will eat and exercise each day, with gusto, and when the day is over I will sleep peacefully.
6.I will seek wisdom, try new things at every opportunity and learn something new every day.
7.I will be courageous, strong and humble.
8.I will be quick to forgive and even quicker to seek forgiveness.
9.I will share of my talents and resources with no hidden agenda or motive.
10. I will do my best, show kindness and always take the high road.
Frank,

1. Would try to have better relayionship with God. 2.Take my wife’s dream vacation to Alaska. 3.Enjoy time with my family. 4.Help others. 5.Laugh more. 6.Eat all the foods I enjoy. 7.Spend more time enjoying the great outdoors. 8.Skydive always wanted to do that. 9.Pray more 10.And the best thought of all that I know I would be going to Heaven soon knowing in Heaven their is no major depression or by-polar or any other kind of illnesses that are down here on earth. So maybe all the suffering we do on earth with all are different kinds of mental and physical illnesses looking towards Heaven will be the greatest gift of all. Being with our Savior Jesus Christ. GOD BLESS Hondo

1. I would continue to seek inspiration and guidance from God by study and introspection.
2. I would write a journal to my young daughters (ages 7,8, and 11). I would try to talk with them about the things they will encounter growing up so that I can give them some guidance without physically being there.
3. I would speak with my husband and my daughters about accepting my death as a part of life. I would help find ways to cope.
4. I would plan out every part of my dying, including healthcare decisions, funeral, and burial. I would work with my husband to make sure we agree on all of this.
5. I would do my best to have grace and dignity from now to the end.
6. I would continue to work out and eat well and be healthy as possible.
7. I would take full advantage of both western and eastern medical philosophies. This would also mean taking full advantage of any pain relieving choices as long as it didn’t make me incoherent and unable to enjoy my family.
8. I would be sure to reach out (individually if possible) to each of my sisters, parents, etc. to have precious time with them before dying.
9. I would eat the fattening foods like desserts that I (mostly) pass up now.
10. I would make time to travel to places I’ve wanted to go, watch movies I’ve wanted to see, take classes I’ve always wanted to do, etc. In short, I’d try to fit it the fun stuff I’m always putting off because of time, money, or being afraid!
In summary, I’m grateful to be alive. This is ironic because there were several times in my life I wanted to die. I found out at the age of 51 (!!!) that I was bipolar. Now medication makes my life so much better!! I don’t have all those really low periods that I used to have or that anxiety that was so intense I just couldn’t stand it. Now I can appreciate life. I do see from my list that I should do alot of those things NOW, without the threat of dying hanging over my head! I guess that’s true for alot of us. Peace to you and yours. Terrie

If I knew I was dying: What would I do?
1) I’d forgive eveyone for being different towards me because of my lifesyles & beliefs.
2) I’d call or go in person & tell my friends & family how I love them & how I’d come to them after my passing in their dreams or meditations.
3) I’d differently get the courage up to go on a plane to visit someplace that had beautiful islands. Then visit friends & family.
4) I’d write my own Memerial Service. There would nothing but happy thoughts though out it. It would be just like an Irish Wake. No one would be able to tell a story about me unless it was happy/funny one.
5) I’d tell my love ones it would be upto them if they visited my grave sight or not I was gone because they’d be able to talk to me anywhere because I’d be around them alot.
6) Finally, I’d put my will in order & make sure my life is in order, so I wouldn’t leave any problems for my friends & family to solve because I don’t any agruments among them but having them sharing memories of the times gone by.

This is a great exercise, Therese…here goes….
1. I would write a journal or book for my children
2. Organize the crap in my life so my husband wouldn’t have to do it
3. Lead a support group for others who are terminal
4. Make love to my husband every day and not be selfish about it
5. Write notes to my friends and aquaintences telling them things about them that mattered to me.
6. Keep teaching as long as I could
7. Take the money I thought I would use to bury myself and instead have myself creamated and send my husband to Hawaii
8. Forgive my parents
9. Throw a party for my friends – a wake before I die
10. Plant a garden
wow…what a great list….i should get started on this right away!

First I must say I have terminal cancer so I am living the What If !!!
1. I have looked at the birds singing and the flowers growing a little differnly now – it is a wonder to behold that it all works so well together with us – and to think on a daily basis we try to end the very beautyfull things arround us for the sake of money -
2. I have com3e realize that some of the people i thought were my friends are not – and some that i have thought to be turned out to be the ones that were there when i needed them – so I do not count my friends anymore – if you have just one good friend you are blessed -
3. I do think about religion from time to time after all i am going to find out sooner than most what is waiting on the other side of this life – there are so many thoughts on this i am confused – each of us must serch for there own answer and feel comfortable with it -
4. I do find that i do more things that i would not do normally – i like to ride motorcycles so i am taking more trips than I have ever taken – and planing more – getting as much ridding as i can in while i can – and at the same time talking to people along the way that have cancer to let them know that this BEAST casn’t keep asll of us down – Even though in the back of my mind i know eventually it will – it is not curable – but tell then
5. Please never leave anything unsaid – if you say it meen it and never say you are sorry – if you meen it then there should be no reason to be sorry for saying it – in otherwords make shure of what you say before you say it, but do say it – butter to have done than not at all -
Keep your friends close – we only get a very few of them in life – cherish the ones you have – cherish your enimies as well they are the only ones that can’t turn on you -
IN CLOSING ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR LIFE LIKE IT WAS THE LAST OF IT -
Pythonx

The truth is we are all “terminal.” So, the question is not “IF,” but “When.”
I don’t know the number of my days and you don’t know the number of your days. But this much I can tell you for sure, our number is less than it was yesterday.
Some people are honest and admit that their lives have never been more full, but never full-filled. Their lives are cluttered and confused,
overloaded and overwhelmed. They run fast, but they can’t outrun the emptiness they feel; wondering if this all there is..is this how life was meant to be lived.
Maybe the most dangerous word in the English language is the word “someday.” Many of us suffer from the “Someday Syndrome.” We sincerely plan to get around to living more joyfully. The problem with “Some Day” is that it robs us of “This Day.”

(Sorry having trouble w/computer. It’s doing it’s own thing!!! )
continued:
So, live with the awareness we aren’t promised “Some Day.” The past is gone. We cannot retrieve it or relive it. And tomorrow is an unknown. It is not promised or guaranteed.
So, the first challenge is to “EMBRACE TODAY!” It is to seize the gift of this day. It is to “live in the moment.” It means not looking past today. It means doing what you can today because
tomorrow is not promised.
In order to live like you were dying it will require change. It requires adjustment. It requires effort. It won’t happen on it’s own.
But you’ll find living like you were dying is the most liberating way to live. You are free to stop chasing after all the stuff that doesn’t matter…You are free to stop living for the approval of others…You are free not to conform.
Living like your dying is:
More about today, less about tomorrow.
More about people, less about you.
More about the eternal, less about the temporal.
When you live your life meaningfully, not only will you die joyfully; but you will also give joy to all who meet with you in your life.