This week, we’re going to change things up a bit, and today’s post will get heavy so bear with me.
I’ve been reading a lot over the past year or two about Stoicism, as I’ve mentioned before. The basic teachings of this philosophy are as follows:
- Controlling your response and your emotions, not outside forces and events
- Amor fati – “Love of fate”. Accepting everything that happens in life and using it (events, etc.) as a catalyst or a resource.
- Memento mori – Meditating on your mortality. Realizing that time is finite and that you must make the most of it while you have it.
The last point is what I would like to focus on in this post.
Memento Mori
Marcus Aurelius said, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”
On September 21th, 2020, my best friend, Samuel Profeta, passed away tragically in a car accident.
Sam was such a beautiful soul. He had an enormous heart and he was as loyal as they come. Thankfully, we spent some time together the day before. I only wish I would have told him I loved him one last time.
One of my favorite things about Sam is how much he loved life. How much he lived in the moment. And how he lived life to the fullest.
You go through life assuming that your friends, your family, your living situation, and/or your job will be there tomorrow or next week. You put things off, saying, “I’ll get to it later” or “I’ll call them tomorrow”.
If it’s important, don’t put it off until tomorrow. Tell those dearest to you that you love them. Don’t wait until later, because you don’t know if later will come, for you or for the people you love.
You can’t forget someone like Sam. His personality was big and his heart was full. He was with me through my high points and low points, as well as I for his.
Sometimes you need a lesson pounded into you several times until it changes your behavior. After this terrible experience, I’ll hug a little longer, love a little harder, and tell my people that I love them every time I have the chance.
Time is our most precious commodity. We mustn’t waste it.