THE NOW SOUND

“The only two certainties in life are death and taxes.” A popular saying spanning across hundreds of years and still holding truth until this day. The more i think about it, the darker the phrase becomes. It speaks to me that no matter how prepared you are for anything, you still won’t be ready until death knocks on your door or tax season rears its ugly head. All macabre jokes aside, It can feel hopeless to know that as much as you think you have a grip on being and existing, you never will. You can lose your job tomorrow because the company you work for isn’t profitable like it once was. The person that you have been with for years and years can wake up one day and decide that they don’t love you anymore. You might get news that the friend you were supposed to meet today for lunch won’t be able to make it because they crashed their bike on the way to see you. As extreme as these examples are, there is always a small possibility that the worst could happen.

I believe that the more we recognize that life can change at any point and maybe that is another certainty: life WILL change, then can we be more willing to accept the cards dealt and move towards healing quicker than trying to fight the change. This isn’t permission to give up on situations as soon as the going gets tough but more an allowance to yourself that no matter what happens, you will be ok.

But if it is true, that the only certainties in life are death and taxes, then that means the possibilities of how we choose to live our lives are endless! You don’t have to work that job you hate or limit yourself to a mediocre relationship or have to feel bad about rescheduling with your friend because you’re feeling overwhelmed. As limiting and discouraging knowing that the good times can’t always be good is the same empowerment I take comfort in knowing all bad times will not stay bad.

Mahatma Ghandi said, “live like you will die tomorrow; learn like you will live forever.” We don’t know how much time we have on this planet but I’m sure that the majority of people have less time than they were actually hoping for. As important as it is to stay disciplined and in a routine, it is equally just as important to break out of the mould and experience the beauty that is always around us. This is a calling to live a balanced life full of kindness and humility. A life that when you look back at it, you can say, “man, what a great life that was” and when it is your time to go, your loved ones can recall on your presence and speak on how lucky they were to have known you and miss you not from sorrow but from fondness.

I love to believe that when there is a statistic that I fall under, that I could be the exception. I love to believe that about most people I meet as well. Obviously, life has this funny way of giving you cards that you don’t want but don’t fold because that would take you out of the game (unless we’re talking about real gambling which in that case, probably don’t take this piece of advice). There’s a high chance that I am the typical individual broken down into a statistic but the uncertainties are more than possible and the power of us as human beings are endless.

It’s ok to live with uncertainties. Fall in love with the mystery that life holds instead of fearing it around every corner. Believe in the best and prepare for the worst but stay steadfast in knowing that there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes.