If I was dying, would I live like it?

I was in Las Vegas a couple of weeks back for my last trade show pre-retirement. While taking a cab ride from the convention center back to the hotel, the driver struck up a conversation and shared this story.

Totally out of the blue, the driver said, “Did you see The Simpsons episode where Homer nearly died and as a result began to tell everyone that from this point on his life was going to change?”

My reply, “No, I didn’t see that one.”

The driver, “It was so freaking funny because in the very last scene they show Homer sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand watching bowling. Kind of makes you want to fast forward every time you hear someone say this death defying experience is going to change everything, doesn’t it? You know, just to see if they really start living as if they are dying?”

I know, right? Quite the drive-time conversation for a quick whirl of six blocks….

Yet, it had such an effect that I’m still spinning it around a little.

And if I did, what would that look like?

I’m thinking it would look like – kinder words, slower coffees, less focus on process and more focus on relationships, less focus on ambitions and more focus on laughter, less focus on things and more focus on experiences.

I’m thinking it would cause a little more travel, a few more greeting cards, and a few more stop downs to take in the scenery. I’m thinking it would cause these things.

Yet to date, I can’t say that this knowledge has affected these actions all that much. The good news is that it’s been a while since the last beer drinking, couch sitting, combined with bowling watch party. Hopefully, this is a signal of progress.