What does this life mean to you? If you face with the death one day, will you be scared or just feel relieved? What are your best memories, and will you be able to remember it in the last minutes of your life?

I had never thought about those questions before until I have read the book named Live for Today, which is a Japanese book (I read the Vietnamese version). The author, Taketoshi Ozawa, is a nurse who has taken care of many people suffering from cancers for over 20 years. Therefore, after observing, listening and talking with his patients, he sympathizes, understands and learns many significant things from them.

"If today is the last day you live, will you end it with a smile of contentment?"; "What is your definition of 'a happy life'?"; "If you must leave a message for the most important person in your life, what will be in there?"; "In thousands of great things stored in your memories, which lessons you have learned so far?"; "Try to write all necessary and important things you have to do. In those things, which one you want to do the most when you only have a short time to live? Which one that it will be ok if you don't do?"; "In this life, who do you want to give happiness to? What do you want to become true?" Those are some questions the author wants us to answer by ourselves because maybe ours are different from his perspectives.

In the author's opinion, many people in this world usually think so negatively about their lives. They usually think that they have not done any significant things in their lives, and they compare their lives with others'. They don't understand that when they appear in this world, they mean to somebody already such as their parents and their whole family. In this busy life, maybe they forget their shining and great moments.

However, if they try to reopen the album of their lives named "Memories", they may remember something valuable and significant. Those could be love from their families or their friends and some rewards from their jobs or studies; those also could be the peace from nature or the great feeling after reading a great book. It's right for the fact that most people usually focus on outstanding individuals, but that doesn't relate to others' perspectives about themselves and how they feel satisfied with their own lives. So, today they should keep in mind that their lives are valuable, which is important for them to shine tomorrow.

Additionally, the author also mentions if you are the person who is always busy with tons of "mountainous" things, try to stop doing those for a while and ask yourself whether there is something you don't need to do or not. That will help you recognize what you must do and what you want to do. Sometimes we may become over-committed and find ourselves on the road to burnout. Every day many things keep chasing us; for instance, working, studying, doing the housework or meeting friends, etc. It is too much till we cannot stop, which makes us cannot do things we really want to do for ourselves. We are incrementally busy, which may be called miserableness sometimes. In our minds, whenever we cannot finish doing things, automatically we feel stressed and think those are our faults because we cannot organize time well. As a result, we don't have enough time to enjoy our lives. Then, one day when the clock of our lives run for last revolutions, we can only regret that we were too strict with ourselves.

Many young people may not understand or confused about the deep meanings of stories in this book. For me, even though I am only 22 years old, I have been through lots of things. I lost my sister in front of my eyes; I nearly died few times because of traffic accidents and serious sickness; I was hit by my violent father, and I also saw my mom tried to kill herself. I never forget those terrible memories, which are also my lessons. Experience helps me to grow up more, and I also realize that I love my life, but I don't scare death anymore.

1/3 of my life has passed; sometimes I wish to have another childhood which should be happier. My therapist told me that I can still do and finish some things I couldn't do in my childhood even though it may be different and late. Maybe I'm so stubborn, but I don't think her idea will be good for me now. Well… How can I have another chance to hug my little sister who now is sleeping forever? How can I be loved by a father who doesn't really care about me anymore? How can I act like an innocent person after witnessing too many horrible things? How can I erase all bad behaviors and bad mouths other people did with me?

I won't forget my past or forgive easily the people who hurt me, but it doesn't mean I will live like a serious person. I will respect people who respect me, and I prefer to bring happiness to people as much as I can if they truly need me because I will be happy, too.

Living, enjoying and doing everything best for today because nobody can predict when is the last day of his/her life.

So, do I…