Longing for Depth and Length
It is not length of life, but depth of life. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
I’m not above saying I want both. I want a richness about my life, but also length to it. Don’t we all?
But if I am made to choose, I will pick depth of life every time. Going by my family genes, I have a chance of living a long, long life. My two aunts and dad are all in their 90’s and going strong. But I also have the chance of living through difficulty in my last years. My mom had Alzheimer’s for 13 years. This is my greatest fear, that I will live a long life, but not have a fully functioning brain. I pray regularly for my dad’s longevity AND his brain health. There is not much worse than 13 years of forgetfulness.
But what I’ve come to accept is that life gives us no guarantees, nor the ability to predict or control the future. So I’ve decided to live everyday as fully as possible, to live in the present, and to attempt to not worry about tomorrow. It’s the only choice I have. It’s really the only choice we all have, isn’t it?
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