Memento mori.

“Remember you must die.”

I am reminded of my mortality often.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s good to know that today is the only shot I have at living this life right. If tomorrow comes for me, I’ll get another shot. But I can’t relive yesterday, and I can’t count on tomorrow coming.

I should be wise and plan for it, but I cannot absolutely count on it.

This holiday weekend, two people in Mississippi were killed in motor vehicle-involved deaths.

According to national news reports, at least 233 people died as a result of gun violence this past weekend. The only good thing about that is it’s a drop from last year’s 314 shooting deaths over the Independence Day holiday.

I’m not vilifying guns or cars. And I don’t know how many of these deaths were true accidents. That’s not the point.

How many of these people who died in the past few days — even from illness, etc. — knew that day would be their last? I mean, really knew it?

Very few, I imagine.

Saturday, driving across I-20 and I-55, my family and I witnessed two accidents — cars left the road in both instances. Thankfully, in both cases no one was injured and — surprisingly — their vehicles were not irreparably damaged, either.

But just before we got home, we got a message that a childhood friend of my oldest children had been found dead — the victim of an apparent accidental overdose.

Did she take the drugs willingly? Almost without a doubt. But available information seems to indicate she did not intend to end her life by doing so.

My life could very well end today. You could be reading this column post-Brett-mortem.

I know where I’m going when I die. Enough evidence exists to convince me God is real, Jesus is Savior and my salvation will result in eternal life with my God.

I know God knows what’s going to happen to me, and when. But I don’t.

I have today to live in the best way I possibly can. I don’t always make the best use of my time or thoughts or energies or resources. But when I am aware, when I am reminded of my mortality, that this opportunity will soon be at an end, I am not disheartened. I am encouraged to live my life to the fullest, and be as good an influence as I am able. And learn to be better.

So it is my call to myself and to you — “Memento mori!”

News editor Brett Campbell can be  reached at brett.campbell@dailyleader.com.