About this quote

The line pulls you out of polite denial and makes you notice the ordinary cruelty of loss. It pushes you to stop pretending you'll have more time than you do. Call the person you haven't spoken to in months. Do the small, awkward things now — sort papers, say what matters, show up — so regret isn't the first thing you feel later.

When to use it

• At my dad's bedside I kept thinking that line while I hesitated to hold his hand; it made me stay the whole night.
• After a sudden coworker death, I said the line out loud in the break room to break the stunned silence before we planned the funeral.
• Sitting in the hospital waiting area between classes, I muttered that line and texted old friends to tell them I loved them.
• While clearing my aunt's apartment, I said the line when I found unpaid bills and realized I needed to get my own affairs in order.