Tonight I watched Source Code. It was the first time I’d been to the movies in awhile (I hate spending the money and usually don’t love the movie anyway). While the movie wasn’t exactly the best I’ve ever seen, it certainly held my interest, and one of the lines really got to me.

“What would you do if you knew you only had one minute to live?”

It’s a scary question – one that many of us don’t even take the time to consider. It’s so morbid, certainly not something we want to ponder in the midst of our more pressing concerns. But what would you do?

Would you call your mom? Your dad? Your wife? Who really counts in the last few moments of your life? If you could only make one call, who would it be to? Who could you count on to answer? Whose voice would you need to hear just one more time?

Would you pray? Repent? Forgive?

Would you do something dangerous because what does it matter?
Would you give away the money in your wallet?
Would you update your facebook status?
Would you dance in the rain?
Pick a flower?

A minute isn’t a very long time, and most of us would probably waste the entire minute just trying to figure out how we should spend it, so what about a month? That seems like it would be a lot easier to handle. You would have enough time to see everyone you love, to finally kiss that guy who never knew you had feelings for him or marry the girl you always thought would be there, to forgive your high school enemy and eat ice cream with your best friend, to sing in front of strangers and go up in the Arch on a windy day.

Maybe you’d end a bad relationship.
Rekindle an old romance.
Rekindle a current romance.
Bake cookies with your mom.
Go fishing with your dad.
Try to tell your little sister all the things you’ve learned.

Maybe you’d write a song.
Write a book.
Paint a masterpiece.
Go skydiving.
Take a cruise.

Maybe you’d love more.
Laugh more.
Live more.

We can’t wait for a death sentence to start living. So ask yourself: “what would you do if you knew you only had a minute to live?”

And then, do it.