Ok, so here are a few things we have in common.
First truth, we are both very (very) lucky. Science and statistics have never been my strong point, but I watched a TED talk not long ago that suggests the probability of you being born is about one in 400 trillion. Take a moment to consider that… it’s quite extraordinary. That fact alone should make at least the next few breaths you take feel a bit more significant. In Latin class at school I learned the word miracle is derived from miraculum, meaning an ‘object of wonder’. Given these odds, I am pretty confident in saying that you, and I, should be considered miracles.
Now, I am not one of those people that sticks motivational quotes on their walls or looks at themselves in the mirror every morning and recites affirmations (if that is you – awesome… you keep doing you!), but I do believe it is something worth reminding ourselves of from time to time. Every second that we are alive is made more significant by the unfathomable odds that we have overcome to be here.
The second truth is that it is absolutely certain that *spoiler alert* we are both going to die. It doesn’t exactly have the same warm and fuzzy feeling that my first point did… but it is an undeniable truth and should serve as a reminder that this miracle existence we are living is only temporary. For me, that thought places even more value and significance on the seconds and minutes that pass us by.
Now it’s safe to assume that none of us had any control over being here… and it is fairly unlikely we will be able to predict, plan or control when (and how) we go. So… taking that into consideration, here is the third and most important truth:
We both get to choose how we live.
Between our first and last breath we embark on this wonderful, rich, unpredictable, complex, mind-blowing journey we call life. As we navigate the twists and turns, climb to the highest summits and crawl our way out of the deep and dark valleys, I have come to believe that you, I, and everyone else are all ultimately searching for the same things. Short term… a feeling of comfort and content stemming from the relationship we have with ourselves, the people we hold dear, the community we belong to, and the world around us. Longer term it’s about purpose – the idea that the 27,000 odd days we will spend on the planet will amount to something.
We are reminded everyday that this quest can be volatile and at times feel totally overwhelming. We are sold products and services on the fear of uncertainty and inadequacy. We are lead to believe that love, health, happiness and success are complex and hard… even sometimes unattainable.
I want to challenge this narrative, because that isn’t the truth I have come to know. I don’t profess to be any kind of guru, but I do think that my circumstances, connections and experiences have given me a perspective worthy of this platform. I believe life should be simple, yet rich and abundant. Every now and then I will share something designed to challenge you, empower you, or at the very least raise a bit of curiosity . Take it (or don’t) and play with it…. and then make it your own. After all it’s your life – you’re the one that has to live it.