The fragility of life

Life is fragile and if there’s anything this Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has taught me that you can never be too certain about tomorrow; for it may never come. Now, I don’t mean to sound dismal, but it really has helped put things into perspective (for me at least).

Before COVID-19 swept across the UK, I was living my normal life albeit with a few significant changes since December 2019, but that aside, it was relatively ordinary and like many others, I took a lot of things for granted. This included, basic necessities like toilet roll, groceries, being able to walk outside – but also, people, places and physical human contact.

I don’t know about you, but after a few days, I was already tired of working from home. The idea was novel at first – exciting even – and I couldn’t wait to get up late, roll out of bed and switch on my laptop each day, but I soon realised that it was getting old and I desperately missed human contact. I missed the morning commute on the tube as it was a chance to clear my head, read a book and have ‘me’ time, but I also found myself missing being able to turn around, talk to colleagues and go outside for a walk during lunch.

During the course of the last 10 weeks, I’ve come to realise a number of things but the one that has stood out in my mind and one I’d like to share with you, is that life is indeed fragile. Regardless of your personal situation or the unusual circumstances you may find yourself in, remember to take a moment to pause every now and again. Look at your life, your way of living, and ask yourself if you truly appreciate what you have been blessed with today.

If you have a job, are you truly grateful for it no matter how hard it is sometimes? If you have a spouse or significant other, do you truly appreciate them? If you have parents and siblings who are alive, do you take the time to tell them how much you love and cherish them? If you have a roof over your head, do you take a moment to feel grateful for the fact that you aren’t out on the streets like many unfortunate people out there?

If you’re like me, you probably wouldn’t have done any of those in the past. But, I urge you to take a few minutes each day from now on, to reflect on the fact that life is uncertain. We have no idea when our time will be up, we have no idea what tomorrow may bring, but what we do have control over, is how we live our lives each day. Instead of thinking about what could have been, what was, and what will be, we should think about what is. What is our life like right now? Are we mindlessly living each day with no care in the world or no consideration for what could happen if everything is stripped away from us?

The fragility of life, I feel, teaches us to live each moment as if it were our last. We need to be thinking about the fact that if a photographer took a photograph at any given point right now, would it be a picture we would be happy to see? We need to be thinking about others and taking the time to really reflect on how we live our lives.

Ask yourself: Does your heart beat for yourself, or for others too?

Whatever the answer, know that whilst you can’t go back and change things you might regret, you have the option to make a conscious decision as to how you live your life going forwards. Are you going to take the little things for granted, or are you going to realise that the little things are actually the big things and start to appreciate them more?

I hope you do the latter, because the fragility of life demonstrates that in an instant, everything can change. Everything you have ever known can vanish within seconds. So why then would you choose to live a life of regret?

Spread your wings and soar,

The Confused Butterfly

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are intended for educational purposes only. Nothing found on this site should be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it a substitute for therapy. Therefore, please seek the advice of a Doctor or Mental Health Practitioner if you have any concerns about your wellbeing. These views are personal to me and are in no way a representation of other individuals or organisations.