The Pace of Life

 

Life moves at an incredible pace these days. News is available immediately. Social media is instantaneous. The controls for our lives sit at our fingertips. This is not all bad, but it is not all good either. Connectivity has its benefits, but it can also overwhelm us. Sometimes we need to slow down, tap the brakes. The only way to accomplish that is to disconnect and unplug. It is not easy.

 

I read a lot of fiction, in addition to the business books recommended by my business coach, which I carefully read word for word. Recently, while reading a work of fiction, I came across an interesting line. It was a comment made by a CIA agent in the story.

 

-          Things only slow down if you apply your own brakes and take control of the precious short time allotted to you in life.

 

It is up to you. Think about it.

 

In the news

You don’t need the Monday Morning Minute to comment on current events.  There are plenty of other sources for commentary on the news. However, I feel differently given the events of this past week. 

Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash – I was impacted by this more so than I expected.  I am not a Lakers fan, Kobe fan, or really an NBA fan. Perhaps, it was the fact that there were three 13-year-old athletic girls involved in the crash that reminded me of my granddaughter who is that age. Maybe, it was the thought of the families left behind and the outpouring of stories of support and love for those that were lost.  Whatever the case, it is a reminder of the fragile and short nature of our lives. I have already been blessed with 20 more years than Kobe got, but beyond that there is no guarantee. 

Coronavirus – The case count for this deadly virus is over 8,200 (as of this writing.)  This causes me think about how small the world truly is.  We loosely use the term “it’s a small world”, but the speed and distances of which this virus has spread, shows us the true small world we live in today.  We are incredibly connected, not just electronically, but physically through the travel and movement of people globally.  It also reminds me that medicine is still an art and not a science.  As much as we know about disease and disease prevention, this particular virus has a head-start on our professional medical community.  It is not a helicopter crash, but it is a life-threatening event outside of our control.

Life is precious, yet fragile.  Hold on to those you love closely.  Don’t put off saying what needs to be said.  Don’t delay going where you want to go.  Do the things now that you enjoy.  Live life to the fullest today. Remember, we are promised nothing beyond the moment we are currently living.