We are only mortal

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his wife Faustina had at least 13 children. But fewer than half lived to adulthood. To remind himself not to take time for granted, he wrote:

Epictetus used to say that, as you kissed your child, you should say in your heart: 'to-morrow maybe you will die'.

There's no guarantee that tomorrow my wife, my children, and I will be alive. I did, in fact, almost lose my wife earlier this year. It might feel harsh, it might feel morbid. But the reality is death is a part of life. Remembering that one will die is a reminder for us to be grateful for what we have and cherish the people around us.

You might think this is no way to live. No one should think of death every day as they go about their lives. But we often need this reminder because we tend to take things for granted. I learned this the hard way.

When I lost my aunt, who was like a second mother to me, I was determined to live intentionally and hold my loved ones close. But as each day passed and everyone seemed well and healthy, I gradually took them for granted. My focus shifted back to my startup. Then, my wife almost died on an operating table from losing too much blood. I questioned if I had actually been paying attention to what matters. Again, I promised myself to do better.

But as months went by, I found myself slipping again. Even after two traumatic events, I still hadn't taken it to heart. So, I'm regularly reminding myself that life is fragile and fleeting. I'd rather remind myself that tomorrow we might die than let life remind me. Because by then, there's no going back.

Our time with our spouse and children is finite. Hold them close, hug them tight.