One moment in time

“No racing, No life” – this line caught my attention as I got stuck one time in a traffic jam
downtown.
I do not agree with the statement though. It may be a good tag to advertise the racing sport,
but not really good to convince people that life is a race, because it is definitely not.
Nonetheless, life is what we make it. We deal with it on our own pace. We pause when
there is a need to reflect. We stop when we grow tired. We go and start again when we are
recharged and ready. I got to believe that if we contest our speed against the others, we become
numb, cold, and bitter. We tend to be very competitive to the extent that we cannot anymore feel
them. Unconsciously, their existence does not matter and not worthy of appreciation because our
attention is focused on the big “I”. How can I be the BEST among the rest? How can I get the
promotion? How can I get that project to level up my career? How can I reach the breakthrough in
my business or in my profession. Everything is all about YOU – just you.
Humans are logical beings. Hence, we should know better. Sensibly, we understand that
there is more to life than just a race we set for ourselves against the others. We know when we are
hurting inside, uncomfortable with the situations, and weary of all life’s challenges. It is we who
can heal those pains and awful emotions – no one else but ourselves.
I believe that each feat in our life has its own perfect time. It may not be today when others
are the height of their career, making much money and fame for themselves – may be ours will be
in the near future when theirs are receding. Figuratively, when their sun is at a setting, ours is at a
rising.
Although, it is a fact that we have to work and aim to be progressive individuals and
maximize our potential to become better people of God, I am not also discounting the fact that too
much time in our work place will ruin all others that are deem more important in our life. Work
and success are just secondary to the real happiness of a person. Dwelling with our career so much
will make us forget the very purpose of life.
I came to understand that neither prestige nor wealth is everything. My illness brought me
to that realization. I was then busy shaping a very promising future for myself and my family, and
I forgot to nourish my body and soul in the process. My money cannot buy the cure for my cancer.
I cannot buy the people who can ease my pain. The family and friends who were all along with me
that I did not pay much attention to are the only people who can give me comfort as I lay down in
my expensive bed. The latter cannot even give me that same comfort. Now, I am eating medicines
to lengthen my life a bit. How I regret I ignored and refused to eat the real foods as medicines to
my health because I was too busy with work and just ate the instant and microwaved foods
available.
While waiting for our final bow and the curtain of life to close, we have to find true
happiness each moment in time. That is all we need to live a meaningful life. May we not let the
day pass without a smile on our faces, without appreciating our neighbors, without remembering
our loved ones, and without thanking God for all the blessings that we receive.
 May we not be afraid to PAUSE and STOP once in a while for life is indeed too short to
waste over a meaningless and baffling race.