Recently I have been forced into an eye opening perspective and realization of the truth. Nothing is guaranteed, we can’t assume, and everything can change in a moment.
One of my closest friends from home came to visit two weekends ago and when she did we caught up on everything. She even mentioned that her brother had been talking about how he keeps hearing about how great I am and he asked if he might be able to get my number. I smiled at her feeling so flattered and I laughed a little at the fact it’s “my best friend’s brother”. I brushed it off and knew if something were to come out of it that it would.
Little did I know that the week afterward I would hear some heart wrenching news. Her brother had lost his short battle with cancer at age 22.
It was surreal, and horrible to imagine the pain of my friend and her family. It was surreal that someone my age could pass away just like that. It was unimaginable to think that someone could make such a casual, friendly, positive and normal comment like asking for my number one day and the next not being here.
This shot me into a mind altering perspective. That we really aren’t guaranteed anything. Every day, every person, and every breath, at every age, is a blessing. It does matter how old you are, how healthy or bright, it doesn’t matter what is going on in your life or the journey that awaits, with the snap of a finger you could be gone.
With this in my heart, I realize how pointent it is that we take risks. If everything is up in the air, and we don’t know if we will be here tomorrow or if the people we love will be here, then we must risk it all every day.
You don’t always get prepared for change. You don’t always get to finish your business. Every day is an absolute miracle. Waking up to all the familiar faces you said goodnight to is so special and so fragile.
This past week made me feel changed. It made me feel more grateful than ever, more lucky than ever. My perspective has widened. I no longer approach situations with the assumption that I’ll be here forever but with the assumption that it could all be gone tomorrow.
I’ve been prompted to take chances. Speak my mind. It is a luxury to worry about the future. It is a luxury to have a future.
I’ve been prompted to tell people my true feelings the second I feel them. Wear my heart on my sleeve. Take chances without risk of embarrassment. It is a luxury to be able to make mistakes, get rejected, take a chance, try new things. There is no way to guarantee tomorrow so be bold, take risks and do things for yourself. It could all be over in a minute. You don’t get a conclusion , you don’t get a resolution and ending, all you have is now. You must be here, now, for you and for everyone around you. You must love now, fight now, feel now, be brave now because in reality it’s all we have. And that makes being here a miracle not be taken for granted.