Who are we living for?

It is interesting to ask the question: 'Who am I living for?'. A few years ago, I would have answered, 'myself'. Nevertheless, that answer isn't complete. It may be true that we're responsible for our own lives, but our lives do not quite wholly belong to us. Our lives belong not so much to ourselves as it does to those who are close to us. They belong to our parents, siblings and close friends because it is those who are left behind that feel the pain. Indeed, it would be a shame for us to live recklessly or to throw ours lives away rashly. I have no doubt in my mind that most of us are aware of that, whether consciously or sub-consciously. Yet, there are times when that awareness gets so sub-conscious that we simply live by the edge, believing ourselves to be invulnerable. Perhaps it is a good reminder for myself. Much as I will enjoy diving, mountain climbing, and hiking, it is always worth remembering that life is fragile. The simple fact is that we are not invulnerable; and that vulnerability doesn't hurt us - it hurts those who love us. We would all do well not to live carelessly.

Even the mightiest man will fall by a single arrow. It doesn't matter how great we are; we are still just humans, made of flesh and blood. A single bullet, a single arrow, a virus infection, a car accident... anything. It can be that fast and deadly, even to the fittest, even to those who are wise, even to the best of the best. Much as we who are alive and well take it for granted, life is fragile. It could here one day and gone the next. We might never know what hit us. For those who love us, it is the least we could do by living carefully.