The Gift of Another Day
Dillion Beach
Every day the sun rises and sets, and with any luck, we get another day to add a tally mark to the ledger of life. As I add another mark in my own journal of memories, I think about a book I am currently reading, The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom. The book begins by Bloom describing a conversation with a friend, asking how frequently he sees his parents (yearly), and the friend explaining exactly how many more times he will have the chance to see his parents in his lifetime. The message being that life is fleeting. The concept and assumption of “tomorrow” are so frequently taken for granted.
I often say that the older I get, the younger I feel. And it’s true. Yet nothing is certain. I have lost so many people close to me far too soon. A cousin at 18, an uncle at 27, my father was 69, another lively uncle who cherished each day passed away, also at 69, while one of my dearest friends who lived fast and authentically left my world when he was 66, dates thrown out like randomly assigned lottery numbers that seem nonsensical yet have a profound impact.
The 5 wealths that Bloom describes to us include: time, social, mental, physical, and financial. Time wealth being the richest of the lot. To exemplify, would you choose to trade places with the 94-year-old billionaire Warren Buffett? Unlikely. Would he give up his billions to trade places with a 20-year-old? Almost certainly.
Time is so present on my mind as I watch our world burn. There is so much that I, like much of America, take for granted, though I am trying my best to be mindful of it. Security, safety, friends, and, at the top of my list, my children. Having another day with them, never knowing what the future holds, is golden.
The gift of time is very present on my mind as I see videos of ICE tearing families apart as children cry and beg for their parents. Our country has become morally bankrupt as we steal time, the ability to socialize, mental and physical autonomy, and financial security away from others, no questions asked. As we lock people away in metal cages, looking away from our own misdeeds, while justifying the actions based on false ideologies.
So, today, as I gear up for another spin around the sun, I don’t write this for accolades or sentiments, but as a reminder to live today fully, mindfully, and with presence. There is no guarantee of tomorrow.
And, if you feel inclined and are able, consider throwing a few coins here.
“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.”
-trw
🙏