“Life is short and then you die!” Rejoice!
There comes a time in our lives when we realize the cold, hard truth of the adage “life is short, and then you die.” As adolescents and young adults, we think that’s just something old people say, and that we’ll be young forever. And then something happens…
Maybe it’s the death of a near friend, or a year (or decade!) that flew by so quickly you question whether you were actually there to experience it or not. Maybe it’s a near death experience, or a story someone tells you where you finally comprehend how insanely quick our time on this planet is.
In my case, it was a dream. A messenger appeared in my dream one night and informed me that in 15-years I will die when a Cadillac lands on my head. Now, I’m hopeful that it was just the bourbon and gingers I drank earlier that night talking and not some divine prophecy, but I woke up the next day, and really woke up. For the first time, I was able to fully take-in the idea that life is insanely short and experience the impact of its truthfulness.
And what a gift! When we finally embrace the cold, hard truth that life is short, we can either cower and retreat into depression and hopelessness, or we can receive this knowledge as a gift, rejoice, and grab life by the balls!
We all have the ability to make the most out of our time on this planet, but few of us are courageous enough to do it. We play safe, stick to the rules, and settle for what life brings us. Recognizing the impermanence, uncertainty, and brevity of our lives can connect us with that necessary courage. The stakes are suddenly too high to give any more fucks! To care so much about what other people think about us; to worry about failing; to live our lives focused on pleasing others… there’s no time for that!
Now is the time to live the exact life you’ve always wanted to live. Maybe that looks like quitting your corporate job and opening a flower shop; maybe it looks like opening your relationship up and experimenting with polyamory; maybe it looks like selling the (insert expensive item here) that hasn’t been touched in years and using the money to finally go on that African safari you’ve always dreamed of…! Who knows?!
The world has infinite possibilities for new experiences, and we are alive today- the perfect day to experience them. Because life truly is short, and you never know when a Cadillac might fall down from the sky and land on your head!
So, enjoy it while you’ve got it… this one, uncertain, impermanent, and oh so brief precious thing called life.
