A close family friend, as healthy as you’d ever imagine, suffered a heart-attack on Thanksgiving morning. He went to bed on November 21st, but did not awake on the 22nd. Survived by his wife and two kids.
My neighbor is in his 40’s and was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. I played basketball with him just a few months before. His diagnosis surprised everybody—including him.
I recently received a phone call on an otherwise normal Tuesday morning that a friend of mine had lost his teenage daughter in an automobile accident the night before. As awful a news as anyone could ever receive.
Then there is the story of my relative, who showed up to work last summer, only to find her workplace being searched by the authorities as they investigated fraud. By the end of the week, she was without work.
And my parents, just yesterday, were in a car accident. Everybody is fine, fortunately. But their automobile was totaled.
Life changes fast. This season of life you are in could end at any time. Everything could change tomorrow.
Of course, tomorrow isn’t necessarily worse than today. It may change for the better.
In early December 2001, my wife walked into our living room to share important news with me, she was pregnant with our first child. My life forever changed that day.
Our best friends down the street received a job promotion that took them back home to Texas. My cousin, simply hanging out with friends one evening was introduced to a girl, who quickly became his girlfriend, and soon became his wife.
And my life changed dramatically for the better on a Saturday morning 10 years ago when my neighbor unexpectedly introduced me to minimalism—a conversation that changed my passion and eventually, my career.
They say the only constant in life is change. They are right.
Sometimes we plan out our lives—our days, our weeks, our years—and everything falls into place. But other times, we make our plans, only to have them upended by circumstances outside of our control.
Either way, the only constant is change. Life never remains the same. Sometimes it changes for the better, sometimes it changes for the worse, but always for something different than today.
I find myself reflecting on that fact this morning as I sit alone at this empty table. My life is good, and peaceful in this moment. My family is happy, and we are all healthy. I have friends I can rely on, extended family I enjoy being with, and our financial needs are being met doing work that I love.
lt is easy, I suppose, to think life will stay this way forever. But that is not the case. Everything could change as early as tomorrow.
This may cause some to worry. But I do not think the best response is to worry about the future. I mean, the change that is coming could be a positive one. Besides, worrying won’t change the future anyway. Change is going to happen whether you worry about it or not.
Instead, I think the best response is to fully appreciate this very moment, because it could change at any time.
If life is good, count your blessings, be thankful, and enjoy the moments—every single one of them. Slow down, take a deep breath, and savor this season as best you can.
If, on the other hand, your life is not in a good place, take heart, because change is coming. As the seasons change, so does life. Value love, faith, and hope. Find peace to accept the things you cannot change and courage to change the things you can. But through it all, remember, this is only a season. Things will change, they always do.
If you can only live one moment at a time, you might as well make it the present. After all, we have no idea how long “today” will last… everything could change as soon as tomorrow.
David E. Rockett says
good stuff josh…thanks brother
Anonymous says
Not your best post. Did not care for it.
Sean says
Just curious…why didn’t you care for it?
laura ann says
Anon. : Find other sites you enjoy then. This article was great!
Fletcher Sibthorp says
Very Stoic
Reminded me of a Marcus Aurelius quote from Meditations
Keep in mind how fast things pass by and are gone – those that are now, and those to come. Existence flows past us like a river; the “what” is in constant flux, the “why” has a thousand variations. Nothing is stable, not even what’s right here. The infinity of past and future gapes before us – a chasm whose depths we cannot see.
Marcus Aurelius
Mrs. Sweetspot says
Have you read “The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy”? It’s a really good overview of stoic philosophy, and this article made me think of that as well.
Judy says
Love the writings of Marcus Aurelius!
Rosemary says
Touched my heart ? wonderful article with the honest truths .
Thank you for the sharing ❣️
I agree one of the best articles of late .
Sharmon says
It’s very true that life is uncertain,can change on a dime,and we aren’t peomised tomorrow by anyone.Its also important when we are being thankful,to know who we are to thank,and most important to be sure we have made our preparations with God for eternity- He’s the one responsible for orchestrating our lives and blessings and is in charge.
Marcia Barrera says
So true. Excellent article. Thanks for all the inspiration you have given me over these years.
Mike Wanek says
Amen!!!! God bless you.
Jamie says
Very nice, Joshua. Your words gave me pause. I think I will make it a good day today. Thanks!
Kayla says
I’ve been reading Becoming Minimalist for close to 7 years now and I think this might be my favorite article you’ve written. Thank you Joshua.
Stacy Busta says
Kayla–I agree! This article is very well written. I very much appreciate it on this day when my life will be changing in heavy ways I didn’t expect.
laura ann says
Good article . also article on Joshua’s life change to minimalism too. Both in laws died suddenly, cousin killed in accident, friends we knew for years died of cancer and sudden heart attack. One day you get the mail and your medicare card shows up. Friends and relatives “drop off” and more funerals ahead. Shortly after fatherinlaw died and we had to get house ready to sell, junk piled by curb, etc. years back, I decluttered gradually, then mother died in ’14. Started reading minimalist websites and you tube, got rid of more. WW2 changed lives forever, mother was engaged to man who was drafted, war broke out, she left the midwest for Seattle to work in the war factories with my aunt. Married the men they never would have met if the war didn’t happen. they knew some who didn’t made it back.
Judy says
Only God is the same— yesterday, today and forever :)
Mike Taylor says
AMEN!
Anonymous Please says
Not everyone who reads this blog is religious.
Ellen says
But some are. Please be respectful of that and maybe just ignore comments that don’t resonate with you.
Candis says
Thank you for the reminder to be tolerant of others.
Anonymous says
Reading a “minimalism” blog filled with religious comments makes those of us who are not religious feel unwelcome. Save the religious comments for a religious blog and stick with the comments about the actual article, perhaps?
Cathy says
I didn’t think so but you are still welcome to keep coming back to read about minimalism
Tien says
Yes!
sherry says
amen ♥
Cecilia says
I was thinking the same thing Judy :)
Linda Dantonio says
Amen! He will never leave us or forsake us.
Elaine says
Yet your understanding of God will change, which changes your relationship. So even God, in your life? is in process.