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On Mortality

Carpe Diem they say. Live like today's the only day you have.

I've heard that. I've lived it, to an extent. But what about the opposite? Live like there are a hundred thousand tomorrows? Like you can take all day to enjoy just one thing. Sit and just breathe and take it all in for once, instead of rushing off to the next.

I've lived that, too. There's a time and a place for each, like just about all things in life. I guess that's the curse of mortality... the duality of all situations. There was a quote that I held dear a long time ago:

"I always knew that, looking back, I'd laugh over the times I cried. But I never thought I would cry over the times I laughed."
--Unknown

And that's really it... because of our mortality, every situation has a duality of emotion to it. In the long run, what's important? The good times? The bad? What do we remember? And how do we remember it?

I find that in hindsight, so much of what I thought was terrrible isn't all bad. In time, what was novel and amazing becomes routine and commonplace. Those objects and ideas that remain static lose their value over time. Only the dynamic, living entities and ideas stay with us through time.

This is one of the reasons why deriving meaning from material possessions is a lost cause. I find that even for objects whose monetary value increases over time, its personal significance to me still dwindles. Really, the only things that I have which have stayed with me through time are my relationships.

This is another step in realizing the fallacy of acquiring material goods excessively...

PGP Signed Entry