Life is precious. We are born against all odds, one scientific happening and BAM, here we are. Suddenly we are cast out into the world, no map and no idea which direction we should go in. It’s a miracle that we’re here, and it’s a miracle we’re not gone yet.
The dictionary definition of life is ‘the interval of time between birth and death’. And that’s all it really is. We exist, through some bizarre space malfunction, whether we like it or not. I think we should appreciate just how amazing it is that we’re here, evolved, surviving hundreds of years with nature and now finally beginning to put a stamp on this earth.
I’m trying to think of a way to get across just how fragile life is. A good way to start is to look at how we got here.
Think about this – one slight change in evolution, one tiny difference in the world’s formation and things could be unrecognisable. If oxygen hadn’t been created by chance, we wouldn’t be here. If single celled organisms, green plants, sunlight or early creatures hadn’t survived where would we be? Nonexistent. It’s a scary thought.
So, despite everything, we’ve made it this far. Congratulations are in order I suppose. We should always try to appreciate how lucky it is that we are given a chance at life, at controlling the way things can be, or following our destinies. We’ve been given this opportunity and we should take it. Live our lives.
So go out, travel the world, fall in love, have your heart broken, make amazing friends, get drunk, slam a few doors and ruffle a hell of a lot of feathers. If you don’t, what’s the point? I mean, you might as well go the whole way; sex, drugs, rock and roll. Pull an all-nighter and always make sure you have a story to tell. Rebel, conform, work hard and stage a protest – why not? Cry when you’re sad and laugh when you’re happy, hit rock bottom and climb back up again, that’s what it’s there for after all. Take a few risks.
And once you’ve done that, recover, re-group and go and do it over again. Our golden opportunity at life comes once, and it can go; just like that. Simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time or being born into the unfortunate situations that exist even now. For example, sudden infant death syndrome – it takes children away for no reason, no explanation, just the grim reapers way of reminding everyone who’s in charge. Car accidents claim lives every day, untreatable diseases spread like wildfire, possessing its victims at random. Evil people perform evil deeds making countries go to war, and, just as we are born creating joy, we die, creating misery and leaving a hole where we once were. While we’re here, breathing and living, we should LIVE, almost as a tribute to those who no longer can.
It’s really easy to get caught up in day to day habits, thinking the most insignificant things are the be all and end all. So I say, take a step back, and look at all the possibilities we have waiting in front of us. Then take a deep breath, and plunge back in.
We may only be a pinprick compared to the universe but it’s incredible that we have even that, and we owe it to ourselves to make each and every day worthwhile. So my message to those who are scared, to those who need guidance, and simply to those reading this?
Live, because you’ll regret it if you don’t.