atonement and appreciation

So its Yom kippur - Jewish day of atonement... a day of fasting, of giving up satisfying your own immediate wants and needs, and of recognising any wrongs you have done through the year, of feeling remorse for them, of apologising and seeking to right the wrongs where you can. Its a day, apparently, of taking reckoning of your karma for the year.
How wonderful... In some ways I think this is better than Christmas. In my mind Christmas is a time to stop and appreciate the people you love, and to give them a gesture of your affection. But of course it is rarely fully that in reality... but I hold onto the sentiment...
But in some ways I think that Yom Kippur could be even more meaningful. Imagine the benefit to relationships of recognising and apologising for past harms, of reaching out a hand in genuine understanding and reconciliation... imagine a community where, for a time, people genuinely acknowledged their faults and poor behaviours and sought to redress them... imagine a group of people really putting themselves in each others shoes... imagine the warmth that could be generated... no more energy crisis!

Thinking about this connects with my thoughts earlier today. I was watching the presidential debate at lunch time... and afterwards there came on an interview with singer Alicia Keys about her latest album. I listened as she talked about the song "like you'll never see me again", which is about acting every day, in each moment, as if this is the very last time you will ever see the other person. The song is romantic, of course, but the theme is universal. We take for granted that people will be around later, tomorrow, next week... and we don't fully appreciate them in the moment. I found it so inspiring to think about how I would change in my way of treating people if I held in my mind the thought that this might be the last time I ever see them. How different it would be! No more petty grumpiness reliant on the knowledge that we can make up for it later if we want to... No more taking people for granted, ignoring them for something else that seems more important in that moment but isn't really... No more reacting thoughtlessly and regretting it later....

When I was younger I pinned up a piece of paper next to my bed which said "today I might die"... (Actually I can't remember if I really did, or just thought about it a lot... but never mind...) The idea was that if you remember that this indeed could be your last day alive - how do you choose to spend it? Being grumpy, negative, complaining, feeling dissatisfied? Or looking around and cherishing every indescribably beautiful moment...seeking out the good and the happy and the joyous elements of every scene... looking beyond the buildings to the blue sky... loving the people around you, and letting them know it.... feeling grateful to be alive for one more day.... Of course the reality is that each day may indeed be our last - we have no way of knowing what cards we will be dealt, what karma awaits around each corner...
How different would life be if we lived this way every day?

"Like You'll Never See Me Again"

If I had no more time
No more time left to be here
Would you cherish what we had?
Was it everything that you were looking for?
If I couldn't feel your touch
And no longer were you with me
I'd be wishing you were here
To be everything that I'd be looking for
I don't wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don't wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
'Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed

So every time you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you'll never see me again
Every time you touch me
Touch me like this is the last time
Promise that you'll love me
Love me like you'll never see me again