So, I was in a shop which specialises in kilts, actually – I was there to get my kilt resized. It turns out that I’ve lost some weight. In actual fact, I bought the kilt from that exact shop twenty years ago, when I got married.

A lot has happened since then, a great deal indeed. I’m sure most people would say that in the last twenty years of their lives, things have ‘happened’. Me? I think maybe more than most. I started typing them out here, but have just deleted them, as I’m sure you have your own list too – and this isn’t a competition.

Anyway, there I am, standing in this kilt shop, that I bought my kilt in twenty years previously, thinking to myself, “wouldn’t it be funny if the guy who sold me this kilt still worked here?!”

To my huge surprise, he did. I remembered him, and he remembered me too. I recall at the time, all those years ago, thinking how expert a salesperson this guy was, and how valued as a customer I felt. To walk in two decades later and have a similar experience was incredible.

We caught up and he asked me what I do nowadays. I explained what I do, as best I could. Which was to say, I said too many words, and didn’t speak enough actual content.

He told me about his love of motorbikes, and how the most difficult thing he finds is making time in his schedule to ‘fit in’ his passion.

This led me to thinking about some of the Stoic philosophy I’ve been reading so much of lately.

The one thing we do not have is time. My kilt guy sounded like he was putting off riding his motorbike – he was actively telling himself that he hadn’t the time to devote to the thing that makes him the most happy.

Marcus Aurelius urges us to “live each day as if it were our last”, because the truth is the clock is ticking and none of us know when our time will run out.

Kiss your children, tell your wife, partner or husband that you love them, look people in the eye when you thank them for something – act as if today is the last day that you will have. Tie up the loose ends, finish the tasks, check the to-do list complete and go to bed tonight being able to rest easy because you’ve finish your jobs – whatever they may be.

The Stoics say “memento mori”, which is a Latin phrase that means (roughly) “remember you must die”. Remember that death is coming. It is unavoidable. We must all die, perish and return to the earth and universe – our atoms rejoining the cosmic dance of perpetuity. Today might be it. Today might be the day. So act like it. Get up out of your bed. Go and do the thing you’ve been talking about. Because you might not get another chance.

Kilt guy, if you ever end up somehow reading this – go ride the bike.

Image Credit – Lawrence OP, https://www.flickr.com/photos/35409814@N00/8141117790