Steve Jobs

A billionaire passed away at the age of 56 from pancreatic cancer.

On his deathbed, he shared his final thoughts:

“I have reached the highest heights of success in business. To the outside world, my life looks perfect, the very picture of achievement. Yet, apart from work, I have found little joy. In the end, wealth is just a habit, something I have grown accustomed to.

Now, lying here, staring at the ceiling, I see it clearly: all the praise, the riches, the accolades I once cherished have vanished. They mean nothing in the face of death. You can hire someone to drive your car, to manage your money, to handle your affairs—but no one can carry your illness for you.

Lost possessions can often be replaced. But once you lose life itself, there is nothing to recover.

When we enter the hospital, when we face the operating room, when we confront illness or the inevitable decline, we realize there is a book we have never finished reading: The Book of Healthy Living. No matter how young or old we are, the day will come when the curtain falls.

What matters is affection—love for your family, for your spouse, for your friends. Treat yourself kindly. Appreciate those around you.

As we grow older, we begin to understand the truth: a $300 watch and a $30 watch both tell the same time. A $150,000 car and a $30,000 car take you along the same roads, to the same destinations. A $300 bottle of wine or a $10 bottle leaves the same hangover. A mansion or a small home cannot protect you from loneliness.

Material things cannot buy the one thing that matters most: the joy of living, the warmth of connection, the love that lingers long after possessions fade.

Whether you fly first class or economy, if the plane falls, you fall with it. Life does not favor money; it favors presence, gratitude, and the moments we share with those we love.

So cherish companionship. Laugh with friends. Talk to old friends. Sing with your siblings. Share stories about the world—its north, south, east, west, and the wonders of heaven and earth.

Enjoy life. Love deeply. And never let material things blind you to the true beauty of being alive.”

One Earth One Chance 

 www.oneearthonechance.com