Nicely, if you happen to had been to consider the Roman thinker Seneca, life is not quick however lengthy if we all know easy methods to use it –
It isn’t that now we have a short while to stay, however that we waste a variety of it. Life is lengthy sufficient, and a sufficiently beneficiant quantity has been given to us for the very best achievements if it had been all nicely invested. However when it’s wasted in heedless luxurious and spent on no good exercise, we’re pressured eventually by dying’s closing constraint to understand that it has handed away earlier than we knew it was passing. So it’s: we’re not given a brief life however we make it quick, and we’re not ill-supplied however wasteful of it… Life is lengthy if you know the way to make use of it.
However since we frequently fail to make use of our restricted time on this planet nicely, life certainly seems to be quick, or so it appears.
I used to be reminded of this stark actuality just lately once I learn this tweet –
A good friend mentioned one thing loopy to me the opposite day:
“You could have 18 summers to take pleasure in along with your youngsters. That’s it.”
By the point your youngsters flip 18, you’ve spent 70%+ of the overall time you’ll spend with them. After that, it’s a wild card (they’re busy, you’re outdated).
— Andrew Wilkinson (@awilkinson)
I can’t think about a extra essential reminder to cease occupied with work and give attention to youngsters.
Anyhow, the thought of life being quick didn’t depart my thoughts (it by no means does!) and I made a decision as an example it to incorporate nearly all my ideas on what we may do to make use of life nicely in order that, as Seneca suggests, we don’t waste our valuable time chasing stuff that actually makes it really feel quick.
Right here is that illustration, and I’ve spent fairly a while from my quick life to create it. Simply zoom in to learn my concepts on how we are able to use our life higher, to do issues and make experiences that actually matter.
Most of what occurs to us in life is anyhow past our management, and we should be taught to let it go.
However I firmly consider in what Mark Twain mentioned –
Twenty years from now you’ll be extra upset by the issues that you simply didn’t do than by those you probably did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the secure harbor. Catch the commerce winds in your sails. Discover. Dream. Uncover.
Now could be the time, my pricey good friend, to discover, dream, uncover. As a result of life, as we stay it, is basically quick.