The Fragility of Life: Writing a Story Worth Telling

Photo Credit: Reuben Juarez via Unsplash

First things first, I'm back, ya'll! I know, I know—I have no excuse for not blogging more often. But as fate would have it, I recently found over 40 unpublished and half-written pieces on my laptop while doing a year-end cleanup. So here I am, dusting off the keyboard and diving in.

Now, onto the real talk. Let me tell you, I get the most random thoughts at the most inconvenient times. Take this week, for example: I was in the shower—no pen, no phone, no way to capture the brilliant ideas flowing through my mind. I had to rely entirely on my memory, which is about as reliable as a paper umbrella in a storm. But here we are, and I'll do my best to put all these thoughts together for you.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the people in our lives. Those folks we see so often that we assume they'll always be there. We get comfortable, and we take them for granted before we know it. We fail to give them the attention they deserve, treating them more like an option than a priority. And before you can blink, they're gone—just like that.

Life is fragile, y'all. And I've been getting an extra dose of that reality lately. This isn't meant to be morbid but rather a wake-up call. We're not here forever. And once we accept that, we can also accept that the people closest to us won't be here forever either. How we treat them, where we place them in our lives—it all matters. Life isn't guaranteed, and the moments we share with those we love should be treated with the utmost care and intentionality.

My next thought came while drying off. Like I said,  I have random thoughts at the most inopportune moments.

"In the end, we will all become stories."

This simple quote as someone's WhatsApp status immediately hit me like bricks. The words started churning in my mind, but they weren't fully coming together until I took a moment to pause and let everything simmer. And soon, my fingers were flying across the keyboard.

This statement carries so much weight. Life isn't just a series of events; it's a story that we're all writing. Today will be tomorrow's history, and we'll tell of its events like a story. The highs, lows, wins, and losses will all be said in the past tense. The conversations we have today will be memories tomorrow. It's wild, right?

When you stop and think about it, every day we have breath in our lungs is an opportunity. Not just to exist but to make our lives a story worth reading. And no, I don't mean one of those wild, dramatic tales for entertainment. I'm talking about a story that inspires, teaches, and maybe even makes people laugh along the way. Because let's face it: a little humour never hurt anybody.

I don't want my story to be of doom and gloom. I want it to be one of the ups and downs. Of struggles and triumphs. I don't need to be the superhero or martyr in my tale, but I do hope to be an active participant that when people look back at it, they'll say, "Wow, she lived a fruitful life—despite everything that happened or didn't happen."

I want there to be lessons. Not just on what to do but on what not to do. Because let's be honest—sometimes the best lessons come from the mistakes we make along the way. And yes, I've made too many to count, but here I am, learning and growing from them.

Here's the thing about death, aside from us not feeling comfortable speaking about it—it's the ultimate perspective-shifter. It makes you sit up straight and take stock. It's a sharp reminder of life's fragility and how we're all vulnerable in the face of time's relentless march.

Life is a delicate thread woven into the grand tapestry of existence. And in the end, we all become stories. Our choices, experiences, and connections shape these stories, becoming our legacy. Even after we're gone, our stories remain, offering glimpses into who we were and what kind of mark we made on this world. Our time here is fleeting, but our impact can echo through generations.

So, here's my challenge to you (and myself): Take a moment to reflect on the story you've been writing. While we don't have control over how our story ends, we have a say in some of the next pages. Let's live with intention—creating stories of excitement, adventure, and impact. Let's live and create stories that matter, inspire, and are impactful—ones that leave a legacy and, yes, stories that make people smile along the way. Are you writing one worth reading?

Be Inspired!