Life, the universe and everything.

It’s easy to take being alive for granted. Too often we fail to realise just how lucky we are to even exist; how fragile life is. But I know someone who does. 

What would you do if you had a long-term illness that was slowly making you weaker? Skydive, swim with dolphins, travel the world? We’d probably get things done a lot quicker instead of putting them off till tomorrow. Some people are just trying to make it through today. One of my close friends, who suffers from a tumour that is gradually eating away at him, bought himself a motorbike. Always on the go and instantly likeable, he is the personification of optimism; there isn’t one time I haven’t seen him smiling. Even now, as he’s undergoing treatment and has lost all his hair, confined to a wheelchair and enduring fits of coughing, he takes it in his stride. He is not afraid to make jokes and invite friends over because, of course, he’s still the same person and they accept him no matter what. It’s only the outside that’s different. Unfortunately, the increasing severity of his condition means no more motorbike racing for the foreseeable future. He doesn’t let this get him down, though. There’s no way he’s giving up that easily. 

Despite not having a clue about what’s going to happen tomorrow, this week, month, year, he’s embracing life and all that it has to offer. Personally, I think we should all take a leaf out of his book. If we dwell on things too much, we forget to just live for today. Instead of retreating into the internet – comfortable, familiar, safe – and writing ‘FML’ due to the most trivial of things, we should get out there and make the most of our lives. If someone criticises you, don't internalise it: prove them wrong. Do something nice for someone anonymously. Help those less fortunate than you - not just because you get self-satisfaction from it, but because you actually want to improve their quality of life. Do something that scares the hell out of you. Find a cause you're passionate about and fight for it. It might sound like I'm being preachy, but really I can't see anything negative in any of these things - can you?

It's true that the only opportunities you regret are the ones you're afraid to take. And there's no better time to start than right now. You can either get to the stage where you're looking back on your life, shaking your head sadly and thinking 'if only...' or look back only with the happiest of memories.

Your choice.