Can Happen Any Time

[Captain Smollett]

Was going to post this in OT or Member's Only, but figured, no, dang it, it's ON topic and very relevant.

"It" can happen any time.  We don't know the big picture.

I learned yesterday of the very unexpected passing of the mom of three boys on my son's swim team.  She was 42 years old and by all readily observable measures, in good health.

She was a very nice lady.  Her name was Jennifer.  I did not know her well, but we talked a few times.

Three young boys lost their Mom to a completely out-of-the-blue heart attack (so far as I've been told it was completely out-of-the-blue).

Wait til "retirement" to live your life or pursue your dreams?  Chase the dollar, or the bigger house?  Or, the bigger boat?

Like a small boat at sea in a storm, we are not really "in control."  We are passengers.  We pick a path or set a course, but with each step, or each wave, what happens next is completely, totally and unforgivingly out of our hands.

Our hubris, our belief in "control" needs to die.  That, I am convinced, is the key to any kind of happiness in this life.  Give up; surrender.  Pray, meditate, contemplate, introspect, whatever...strive for letting go.  Let go of money, space, control.

Sorry for the musing, but just {expletive} wow. 

Goodbye, Jennifer.  Enjoy the next steps of your journey.

[Bonzai]

Very sorry to hear of the loss Cap.

[Tim]

Our hubris, our belief in "control" needs to die.  That, I am convinced, is the key to any kind of happiness in this life.  Give up; surrender.  Pray, meditate, contemplate, introspect, whatever...strive for letting go.  Let go of money, space, control.

Sorry for the musing, but just {expletive} wow. 

Goodbye, Jennifer.  Enjoy the next steps of your journey.

Grog for the quote and thoughts and prayers for the family

[Frank]

So true!!!   grog for the reminder!!

[s/v Faith]

Our hubris, our belief in "control" needs to die.  That, I am convinced, is the key to any kind of happiness in this life.  Give up; surrender.  Pray, meditate, contemplate, introspect, whatever...strive for letting go.  Let go of money, space, control.

Sorry for the musing, but just {expletive} wow. 

Goodbye, Jennifer.  Enjoy the next steps of your journey.

Grog for the quote and thoughts and prayers for the family

+1,

  This life is short, it passes even now.

[Jim_ME]

I believe that like with risk, it is good to do what we reasonably can to decrease it, but we can never reduce it to zero. We should live as healthy as we can and do what we can to reduce our health risk factors, but it doesn't eliminate them. It does tilt the chances more in our favor. and that is real, especially when you look at groups. [for instance the benefit of quit-smoking programs on a broad population...]

We try to exert as much control as we reasonably can, and that can help significantly much of the time, but it ultimately has its limits. [I do agree that it can be hubris to believe that you have more control than you actually do, even when you may have a high degree of it.]

But it is true that misfortune--even when made less likely--can happen at any time and the wisest thing to do is--as others have said--not to postpone or procrastinate on the things that we want to do in life, or the kind of life we want to live. Not to, as you say John, be seduced into chasing what will probably not make life any happier or more meaningful--and may result in the opposite, even if we can catch it. (Craig's signature quote, in other words.)

I sometimes think that we are hardwired to not appreciate what we have and to chase more, and in our day-to-day choices, to assume that our time is unlimited. This is the default setting. From a tragedy like this being shared, we do receive a reminder (as Frank wrote).

Thoughts and best wishes for healing to the family and community--including you and your family, John.

[Travelnik]

Sorry to hear about that John.

It is something that we all need to remember though.

Live your life while you're alive, don't just exist!