That was the last thing I saw. A gaping maw. Life’s remorseless jaws chewing up all my remaining time. Spitting it back at me to punctuate the futility of all that had gone before. Worse yet, all that was yet to come. Yet still I pressed on. When I awoke all had been illuminated and I no longer gave a tinkers damn about what others thought was important. I have set my own priorities ever since. Only rule was to treat all others with kindness, respect, and empathy.
Life is But a Stream
A Scroll Threw Life 
Good rules to live by.
A powerful awakening. I like the illumination!