"Soon I will be gone": a letter from a dying of cancer

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Life advice from someone who has learned the value of time.

Three years ago, a 24-year-old Reddit user mylasttie posted a farewell post. He had only a few months to live, and he decided to share what he realized when he was on the verge of death. His letter has not lost its relevance now. Read it. Perhaps it will make you look at life differently.

Soon I will be gone, but it's not so bad if someone reads this letter

I am only 24 years old, but I just chose the last tie in my life. I'll wear it to my funeral in a few months. It may not match the suit, but it is perfect for the occasion.

I was diagnosed too late, there was not even a faint hope for a long life.

After that, I realized that the most important thing in life. Try to make the world a little better after you leave than before you arrived.

My way of life so far, my whole life and my death do not matter, because I did not do anything important.

I used to care about so many things. But when I found out how much I had left, it became clear what was really important. So I am addressing you for selfish reasons. I want to give meaning to my life by sharing what I have understood.

About work

Don't waste time doing work that you don't enjoy. You will not succeed in what you don’t like. Patience, passion and dedication come easy only when you love what you do.

About the opinion of others

It is foolish to be afraid of the opinions of others. Fear paralyzes and weakens. If you do not fight it, it will grow day by day, until one outer shell is left of you. Listen to your inner voice. Let someone think you are crazy, but others will see you as a legend.

About responsibility

Take control of your life. Take responsibility for what happens to you. Cut back on bad habits and try to live a healthy lifestyle. Find the sport you like. Most importantly, don't postpone it. Let the decisions you make, not the ones you missed, shape your life.

About loved ones

Appreciate other people. Friends and family are an inexhaustible source of support, strength and love. Never take them for granted.

About health

We are so worried about the health of our body that until our death we do not notice that the body is just a shell. It is a packaging for our personal qualities, thoughts, beliefs and intentions. If there is nothing inside that could change the world, then it doesn't matter that the body ceases to exist.

It's hard for me to convey how important these simple revelations are. I hope you will listen to someone who has experienced the value of time in his own experience.

I am not upset because I understand that the last days of my life have become more meaningful. I only regret that I will not find a lot of interesting things: for example, the creation of artificial intelligence or a new cool project by Elon Musk. I also hope that the wars in Syria and Ukraine will end soon.

I believe that there is potential in everyone, you just need to be very courageous to reveal it.

You can go with the flow, miss day after day, hour after hour. Or you can fight for what you believe in and write your own life story. I hope you make the right choice.

Leave your mark on the world. Live meaningfully, whatever that means to you personally. Strive for this. This world is a wonderful playground where anything is possible. But we won't be here forever. Our life is just a tiny spark on a small planet flying in the endless darkness of an unknown universe. Enjoy your time in this world. Keep it interesting. Let it be worth something!

Thanks!