Highs and Lows

On Friday, I heard and then saw a guy getting hit by a car as he was crossing the street outside of my office. I’m not sure who was at fault and he was up walking around right after it happened. But after that I realized how quickly someone’s life can be changed by an event that only took a few seconds, even if it wasn’t even remotely likely that said event would happen.

I honestly felt just as bad for the driver of the car. When I walked past him, he was sitting with his head in his hand looking like his entire life had just been destroyed. I know that I would be terrified if I was in his position – this guy will almost certainly face some repercussions for not paying attention while he was driving and he could face legal action from the guy that he hit, I assume. For a while, at least, he’s probably going to be driving around with the fear that it will happen again. Nobody wants to live their life in fear.

This is a moment that will probably shape both of them for quite some time. It’s interesting to me that a matter of seconds can be so formative to a person. Maybe it says something about how we should be living our lives. Don’t take the small things for granted. Don’t take anything for granted. In an instant, your life could change. Sure the probability of a major life-changing event like that is low, but so is the probability of some of the great things that happen in our lives. We should be willing to cherish those good moments with the exact same vigor with which we hate the unlikely bad ones.

In the end, you’ll be happier for it. Knowing that the lows will always have the corresponding highs should provide comfort. There will always be something better than those low times and, really, those times aren’t that bad. They could always be worse. Most of us are far better off than those who really struggle. Don’t take it for granted. Relish it. It’s the only time you’ve got.

Have a good one.