We Are Borrowed: Inspired by Pete's Challenge
Today was a good day. I spent time with many of my friends and we laughed and smiled and enjoyed each other’s company. It was fun, it was foolish, and it was beautiful in a funny sort of way.
Today was also my father’s birthday. He is now fifty four years old. My mother, sister and I sang him happy birthday as we gathered around a lemon meringue pie my mother had bought at the store. As we sliced the pie, I glanced down at the kitchen counter and saw today’s newspaper. One of the headlines read that 50,000 have likely died in Haiti because of the earthquake this past Tuesday. For some reason, reading that headline sent a jolt through my spine; 50,000 people. 50,000 humans, 50,000 faces, 50,000 hearts and dreams and fears. I don’t think I’ve met 50,000 people, nor do I think I ever will. I thought about everyone I know and love. Everyone that makes me laugh and smile...all added together they still wouldn’t even flirt with 50,000. What if everyone I loved all died next Tuesday? Thinking this made my stomach drop, but it also got me thinking about things. Big old things.
What happened in Haiti was a tragedy. But it’s also life. We are, all of us, temporary. Right now we are alive and soon we will die. Those are the rules. And even though we all know this we are constantly disgusted and horrified when we are reminded of it. Death is rude, Death is mean, and Death has no political or spiritual affiliation. Death is not Christian, Death is not a liberal and Death hails from no country. Death is the second biggest blanket covering us all. Fortunately, the biggest blanket is Life.
Life is big, Life is funny, Life is sad and sometimes Life can really piss you off. But Life is beautiful. And it’s out there, right now and it’s all for you. This whole place is just made for you, it’s ridiculous. You can have the most amazing adventures while you’re here. Fall in love, climb a tree, make a really big sandwich. Do whatever you want, but you got to do it now, because you can and will get yanked out of here just as soon as Death feels like it. And you will be sent careening towards the place where we are all destined to go, be it Heaven, Hell, or cold inexistence; oblivion. It happened to Johnny Carson, it happened to Adolph Hitler and it is going to happen to you.
We are borrowed. We are doomed. But for now, we are alive. Our debt has not yet been collected. Act accordingly.
Today was also my father’s birthday. He is now fifty four years old. My mother, sister and I sang him happy birthday as we gathered around a lemon meringue pie my mother had bought at the store. As we sliced the pie, I glanced down at the kitchen counter and saw today’s newspaper. One of the headlines read that 50,000 have likely died in Haiti because of the earthquake this past Tuesday. For some reason, reading that headline sent a jolt through my spine; 50,000 people. 50,000 humans, 50,000 faces, 50,000 hearts and dreams and fears. I don’t think I’ve met 50,000 people, nor do I think I ever will. I thought about everyone I know and love. Everyone that makes me laugh and smile...all added together they still wouldn’t even flirt with 50,000. What if everyone I loved all died next Tuesday? Thinking this made my stomach drop, but it also got me thinking about things. Big old things.
What happened in Haiti was a tragedy. But it’s also life. We are, all of us, temporary. Right now we are alive and soon we will die. Those are the rules. And even though we all know this we are constantly disgusted and horrified when we are reminded of it. Death is rude, Death is mean, and Death has no political or spiritual affiliation. Death is not Christian, Death is not a liberal and Death hails from no country. Death is the second biggest blanket covering us all. Fortunately, the biggest blanket is Life.
Life is big, Life is funny, Life is sad and sometimes Life can really piss you off. But Life is beautiful. And it’s out there, right now and it’s all for you. This whole place is just made for you, it’s ridiculous. You can have the most amazing adventures while you’re here. Fall in love, climb a tree, make a really big sandwich. Do whatever you want, but you got to do it now, because you can and will get yanked out of here just as soon as Death feels like it. And you will be sent careening towards the place where we are all destined to go, be it Heaven, Hell, or cold inexistence; oblivion. It happened to Johnny Carson, it happened to Adolph Hitler and it is going to happen to you.
We are borrowed. We are doomed. But for now, we are alive. Our debt has not yet been collected. Act accordingly.
