A Day Before Her Death, This 27-Year-Old Wrote A Letter, And Her Life Lessons Might Change You Forever
You might be dissatisfied with your life: not enough money, unfulfilling job, meandering relationship. Perhaps you spend too much time online arguing about politics with strangers. Sometimes we all feel like something is missing, and maybe all we need is a little perspective and a drastic change to start enjoying life.
“If something is making you miserable, you do have the power to change it – in work or love or whatever it may be. Have the guts to change. You don’t know how much time you’ve got on this earth so don’t waste it being miserable.”
These are the last words of Holly Butcher, from Grafton in NSW, Australia. She recently lost her battle with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of usually terminal illness that primarily affects young people. Holly was just 27 when she passed away.
As she came to terms with her mortality as a cancer patient, a heartrendingly painful thing to have to do at such a young age, Holly decided to write an open letter. She wrote about the life lessons she learned, reflecting on the way her experience with stage 4 cancer made her come to value every second of her time on earth. “I’m 27 now. I don’t want to go,” she wrote. “I love my life. I am happy… I owe that to my loved ones. But the control is out of my hands.”
Perhaps Holly’s words, coming from the heart with passion and searing honesty, will help people to see the bigger picture on how to be happy, one that is often lost in a sea of ultimately meaningless stresses and worries that quickly consume our everyday existence. She urges us to grasp the things that are important, and live life to the full. “That’s the thing about life, it is fragile, precious, unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right.”
Scroll down to read Holly’s deathbed letter filled with the best life advice, hug your loved ones, and smile, because you are alive!
This is Holly Butcher. Recently she posted her final message on Facebook
The very next day, she passed away from cancer with her family by her side. She was just 27 years old
Her powerful message has been shared around the world, as people related to her passionate advice to live life to its fullest
Holly had been diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that primarily affects young people
“I always imagined myself growing old, wrinkled and grey- most likely caused by the beautiful family I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts”
“That’s the thing about life; It is fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right”
“Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have”
Holly’s words resonated strongly with many people
I'd add "don't beat yourself up for feeling bad, even though others have it worse". I used to read articles like this and start feeling so guilty about feeling bad that I'd work myself into a nearly psychotic, suicidal rage. I've had to work hard to get to the point where I can read something like this and say, "yeah, but sometimes life just gets you down no matter how 'good' you have it, and so what?" I guess what I' m trying to say is that lusting after some impossible state of spiritual perfection can be just as toxic as trying to have a perfect body. It's ok not to be ok.
It's so weird how death teaches us how to live. We always take life for granted, like it will last forever. I constantly try to ask myself if I die tomorrow, would I have regrets. Live your life people, it is a gift, in a moment it can go away. You are never too old, or too young to start living and fulfilling your dreams. When you go through negative situations, ask yourself would it matter in 30 years, most of the time the answer is no. I am so happy that I realize all the things she is saying, without being sick and dying, it is very big difference between living, and just existing.
It's really sad and awful that while we read this text, she is no longer among us. :(
I'd add "don't beat yourself up for feeling bad, even though others have it worse". I used to read articles like this and start feeling so guilty about feeling bad that I'd work myself into a nearly psychotic, suicidal rage. I've had to work hard to get to the point where I can read something like this and say, "yeah, but sometimes life just gets you down no matter how 'good' you have it, and so what?" I guess what I' m trying to say is that lusting after some impossible state of spiritual perfection can be just as toxic as trying to have a perfect body. It's ok not to be ok.
It's so weird how death teaches us how to live. We always take life for granted, like it will last forever. I constantly try to ask myself if I die tomorrow, would I have regrets. Live your life people, it is a gift, in a moment it can go away. You are never too old, or too young to start living and fulfilling your dreams. When you go through negative situations, ask yourself would it matter in 30 years, most of the time the answer is no. I am so happy that I realize all the things she is saying, without being sick and dying, it is very big difference between living, and just existing.
It's really sad and awful that while we read this text, she is no longer among us. :(
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