The Virtue of Remembering You’re Alive

Most people go through life half-asleep—chasing goals, routines, or distractions—forgetting the one truth that makes every moment sacred: you are alive, and it won’t last forever. Remembering you’re alive isn’t about being dramatic—it’s about being present, awake, and grateful for this temporary gift. This awareness helps us prioritize what matters, love more deeply, and stop wasting time.

A True Story: Alan Seeger’s Final Letter

Alan Seeger, an American poet and soldier in the French Foreign Legion during World War I, wrote a letter to his mother shortly before dying in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He knew he might not survive but said he felt “intoxicated with life.” He’d seen death everywhere, and it made him cherish the present moment more deeply than ever. His final words weren’t bitter—they were alive with wonder, despite war: “I have had a wonderful life. Everything has gone beautifully.”

Three Quotes from Books About Fully Living

In The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer (2007):

You’re sitting on a planet spinning through space, right now. You’re alive. A miracle. Don’t wait for death to wake you up to life.

~ Michael A. Singer

In Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (1997):

The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live. Most of us walk around as if we’re asleep, even when we’re doing things we think matter.

~ Mitch Albom

In Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman (2021):

You will die, and that’s what makes your choices matter. Time isn’t running out—you are. So use it wisely, with full attention.

~ Oliver Burkeman

Five More Real Quotes That Capture This Wisdom

In Walden (1854), Henry David Thoreau wrote:

I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life… and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

~ Henry David Thoreau

In a 1940 essay, Albert Camus wrote:

Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present. To feel life’s weight is to honor it. To waste it is a kind of quiet betrayal.

~ Albert Camus

In a 1981 speech, John Irving said:

We often treat life like a rehearsal. It’s not. This is the show. You only get one take. The curtain doesn’t rise again. So make it count.

~ John Irving

In a 1961 letter, James Baldwin reflected:

Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition. You are alive, and that is your home, your miracle. Live like it.

~ James Baldwin

In a 1993 interview, Maya Angelou said:

Life loves the liver of it. You may not control all the events, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Wake up to your own breath.

~ Maya Angelou

Life Lesson:

You don’t need a near-death experience to realize this is it. Your life is not a rehearsal, a to-do list, or a waiting room. It is already happening. Remember that you’re alive. Don’t wait until a hospital room or a tragedy forces you to see what you could have lived more fully. Every moment you forget you’re alive is a moment wasted. But every moment you remember? That’s when your real life begins.