Live Like You Were Dying
Tim Mc Graw Lyrics

He said
The singer is recalling a conversation he had with someone who was facing their own mortality.

"I was in my early forties With a lot of life before me And a moment came that stopped me on a dime I spent most of the next days Looking at the x-rays Talkin' 'bout the options And talkin' 'bout sweet time"
The singer's friend was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was forced to contemplate the limited amount of time they had left to live.

I asked him "When it sank in That this might really be the real end How's it hit you When you get that kind of news? Man, what'd you do?"
The singer asked his friend how he reacted when he realized that his diagnosis may be the end of his life, and what he did in response.

"I went skydiving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu And I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying" And he said "Someday I hope you get the chance To live like you were dying"
In response to his terminal diagnosis, the friend found a new appreciation for life and lived with intention, doing things that he had always wanted to do and treating people with more kindness and forgiveness.

"I was finally the husband That most of the time I wasn't And I became a friend a friend would like to have And all of a sudden going fishin' Wasn't such an imposition And I went three times that year I lost my dad I finally read the Good Book, and I Took a good, long, hard look At what I'd do if I could do it all again And then I went skydiving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu And I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying" And he said "Someday I hope you get the chance To live like you were dying
The friend reflects on how he was not always the best husband or friend, but his terminal diagnosis helped him realize the value of relationships and he made an effort to repair them. He also spent more time doing things he enjoyed, like fishing, and found comfort in reading religious texts. He continued to live intentionally and do things that brought him joy and fulfillment.

"Skydiving I went Rocky mountain climbing I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu And I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I watched an eagle as it was flying" And he said "Someday I hope you get the chance To live like you were dying To live like you were dying To live like you were dying"
The friend repeats that he hopes others will have the opportunity to live like they are dying, to live life with intention and purpose, and to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world around them.