
One of the hardest things we have to do in life, is unlearn things that we have already been taught.
I had that experience today. As a child I was sick and since my family worked with health care I got to learn and experience many life-threatening situations for other people. What I learned as a child is that life is fragile. I didn’t realize how deeply it resonated with me.
Since learning this I have been acutely aware of the risks to life. I have always sought to maximize my health, and reduce my risks. Yet no matter how much I did, I realized that there was always more that I didn’t know and that I couldn’t fully assess my risk like other people.
You see I am adopted, and I have limited knowledge of my family genetic history. To me, when others say something runs in their family I am jealous. At least they know what to be prepared for. I don’t know what to be prepared for, so I try to prepare for everything. I take vitamins, I eat a healthy diet, I get enough rest and even exercise.
Yet that never feels like it is enough. I can’t control life, nor do I wish too, but the lesson that I learned as a child about how fragile life has had both helpful and unhelpful consequences. I realize that I have to make peace with the uncertainty of life, and that is part of its beauty. Since we never know when things will change/end, we have to enjoy the moment and love the people we are with.
What point is living, if we don’t take reasonable risks and enjoy it?