I have to admit that I have never really heard of G.K. Chesterton, as I am sure many of you haven’t. He was an English writer, philosopher, Catholic, and a literary and art critic. He lived from 1874 to 1936. Though I have never heard of him, his quote really resonated with me. He hit on a very important point…that everything is temporary and can be lost. Though we tend to take for granted everything we have, including our relationships and loved ones, at any time they can be lost.
Here One Minute, Gone the Next
We have all experienced some kind of loss of someone we care about. It may have been a grandfather or a grandmother, a mom or a dad, a good friend, or a son or daughter. We are never really ready for it. Even when we know someone has a fatal health problem like Stage 4 cancer, and we have had plenty of time to prepare for the end, it still doesn’t make it much easier. On the flip side of that coin, there are situations where a loved one is lost in a split second, due to an accident or unknown health condition. The point is that our loved ones can be here one minute, and gone the next, before we even know what happened. And we are never really ready for it.
Everything Is Temporary
Everything we know and have is temporary. We may value a brand new watch, a new car, or a new house. When we first get these items, we guard them like they are gold. We don’t want these things to be damaged or broken, so we take extra care of them. We are over-protective of them. But as time moves on, the luster of new wears off, and we are less careful. They lose their shine and we don’t really care as much when a little damage occurs. We realize, that the new item is old and will be replaced. It is temporary.
Everything you see will not be here one day, including ourselves and our loved ones. Everything we are and have is temporary on this earth. The afterlife is a different story, to be discussed at another time, but while we are here on Earth, everything is temporary. Since everything is temporary, we need to make sure we value the right things.
The Right Things
The right things are our relationships. If you ask anyone if they value their family and friends, they will obviously respond that they do. The question is, do they show it? You know how much you love your spouse, child, parent, family, and friends, but do they know it? You say of course they do, but do you show them? We need to love the loved ones in our life like there is no tomorrow. We need to show them today how special they are to us. If your family is like most, you don’t get nearly as much time with them as you do your job or whatever other busy life obligations you have that pull you away. Therefore, we need to show our loved ones today how much we love them. Take time for them, give them your undivided attention, and let them feel your love.
Final Thoughts
I know this post may seem a little sad or a bit of a downer, but its purpose is to open our eyes to how temporary and fragile life is. We need to show our loved ones how much we love them TODAY, because we don’t know if there will be a tomorrow. Love your spouse, child, parent, family, and friends TODAY. Show them TODAY. Go out of your way to give them an extra strong hug or kiss. Tell them you love them and how much they mean to you. This will make your relationships stronger and show your loved ones how special they really are.