Life is perishable
Life is what we would call a finite resource--we only have so much of it. We can increase it or decrease it, given the amount of care we take of ourselves, but ultimately there will come a time when we reach our due date. Those of us who have faith and believe realize that there is something that comes after, but that doesn’t mean we should waste the time and opportunities that we have here. Maybe you can remember the classes you took back in school, especially in science or ecology, maybe even history, where you discussed the kinds of resources that existed on the earth. We will define resources as a stock or supply of provisions necessary to ensure continuation and survival. There are several kinds of resources: renewable and nonrenewable resources. A renewable resource is something like wind or water, which we use to power homes, cities, production plants, and the like. These resources are defined as being restored as quickly or faster as they are being used. Nonrenewable resources are things like oil, gas, and other substances of the earth in which only a finite amount exists, once they are gone, it will take unfathomable amounts of time for them to be replenished. Of these, life as a collective may seem abundant, but life as it pertains to us in the singular is a rare, pristine resource.
By translating that resource to skill, we see how one would want to make the most of the time they have. Some would consider every moment not seeking peace or thrill to be a moment wasted, a beat of a heart that escaped through the sands of time. It’s important to remember that life is defined by the efforts you make to connect with others and the dreams you see to fruition. Meaning is what you make of it. Death will come eventually, but a spiritual and mental death are penalties that strike when you aren’t prepared to live. Make the long-term memories and the connections that expand beyond the moment. When you adopt the eyes of the child, you see the world in a constant freshness that staves off the bitterness of age and regret. When you understand that life is more than the constant day-to-day battle, you learn how to make the most of the time you spend with others, the goals you set for yourself, and enjoying the simple stillness. Silence doesn’t have to mean lack of sound, it’s listening to the world around and finding your place in the vastness of a plan that expands beyond the boundaries of human understanding. Seize each moment and make life an adventure.
