What made you realise 'life is short'?

[luciferonearth]

Just looking for a little bit of perspective. I stress about the day to day, but then think 'in 100 years from now we will all be in our graves, and none of this will matter.'

I find the finality of death a bit comforting in that way. I would hate to live forever but I think it's easy to feel like we will when we worry about the little things.

My DM was killed in a car accident aged 69 whilst returning from holiday. My DF had already died years earlier aged 54.
I will be retiring the very second I am able, hopefully at 55.

A family member died of sudden adult death syndrome aged 29, she literally dropped dead. Two school friends died, one aged 12 from a heart condition and one aged 15 from cancer.

letsallscreamatthesistene
Number one that is THE best username I have ever seen and just reading it made me giggle.

Number 2 I hope all is well with you after being shot, and yes, I can see totally why that would make your whole perspective on everything change.
Assuming you were/are the armed forces...
Peace & happiness to you, and thank you for what you did.
Please know that you & your colleagues are appreciated and thought of far and wide without you knowing it.

My friend having a heart attack aged 21.

However Ive still managed to get bogged down in stressful things that seem vital at the time. Some really are important. Others aren't. But I'm in a bit of a fog now and can't see clearly.

My wife dying of cancer aged 33. We'd both put so much time and effort into our careers (working evenings and weekends, not taking holidays) and it made me realise it had all been pointless. I've gone from being obsessed with ambition/achievement to giving up my career and spending as much time as I can with my loved ones. I also try to make time for the things I enjoy and not be held back by a fear of not being good enough; my wife loved to write and paint, but she almost never did those things because she thought she was no good. And she spent so much time worrying about her weight when she was actually lovely just the way she was, so I try hard to appreciate my healthy body and not waste my life being dissatisfied with stuff that ultimately doesn't matter.

DH nearly dying. My cousins dying young of cancer. My Dad's ill health. Cancer scare for me. All within a couple of years.

My mum died when she was 45 and I was a teenager.

I turned 45 a month ago. I have been convinced since she dies I would also die at the same age.

If I make it to July I will be older than my mum was.

Lockdown.
My sister was seriously ill and is now on a transplant list.
My mil was seriously ill but is now in recovery.

Life is too short to worry about the onset of wrinkles etc, which bothered me as I'm approaching 40, but now I try to think I'm lucky I'm able to age, many don't get the opportunity.

Same with weight. Wear and do what you want, wear a swimming costume on the beach and have fun with loved ones. You never know when things can change.

Don't keep things 'for best' or a special occasion. Today is a special occasion.

When my BIL died suddenly from an aneurysm in the brain.
49 years old, kids were young.
Shocking.
He had no symptoms, complained of a headache that morning and then just collapsed.
Helicopter to hospital, died a few days later having never regained consciousness.

30th October 1988
My 17 year old brother died in a car accident on the same day I found out I was pregnant with my first child
I was 21

My grandparents (father's side) were amazing people. So strong and loving. They worked crazy hours (GF was a teacher and GM owned a corner store) and weekends etc. All so they coukld retire early. They retired at 54 and took off around the world. My GM had a stroke 3 months in and although she lived another 24 years she never walked or talked again and GF became her carer. Due to certain things in their backgrounds (GM was a Holocaust survivor) they feared state support which they saw as interference and their days were lived out chainsmoking in their bedsit.

My parents retired at 55 and have lived every day in a state of active joy. My DH calls them 'The Hedonistas'.

I am nearly 50. I have decided that I need a very great deal more joy in my life as you really never know.

Watched a video the other day on Instagram if a man in mosque who passed away peacefully whilst praying. Made me ponder that death could happen at any time to anyone.

Also my nanny died not so long ago bless her heart and that was extremely traumatic for me. Thank God for my husband. If he wasnt there for me when I got the phone call , I probably would have passed away too.

Getting to 50 and realising that if I get really, really lucky, I might just have 20 years left on this earth. Which will go in the blink of an eye, just like the last 50 have.

Loosing my lovely friend to cancer when she was 35, after she had already suffered a cheating husband, stillbirth and unrelated to the cancer ill health. It was so acutely unfair, and it made me realise to live for today as tomorrow isn’t guarantee.

Also my lovely DF, worked all his life, always stressed about money, always saying “well do that once I’ve retired”. He got sick aged 64, he is now 66 and retired, but bed bound

Relative with children dying of cancer in 40s

My mum died recently from vascular dementia at the ago of 69, It can be an inherited disease, I realised that if that's the case, and I died at the same age, I've only got 22 years left. That really terrified me.

As a result I've sorted my pension etc out so I can retire early (in 10 years time), we are also moving house to one I'm happy to be my last and generally doing stuff I've always thought 'I'd get round to'

Nearly dying from meningitis at 40.

Husband dying of cancer.
Recently i came close to dying from Sepsis.Shocking how fast it took hold

Like so many others posting - death.

My aunt passed at 34 of cancer, leaving 2 children aged 4 and 5. The 5 year old grew up only to pass at 27 from cancer and the 4 year old who is now 30 has been told that due to genetics, she has a 90% chance of going the same way before she is 50.

I have been putting up a fight with breast cancer for the past 12 months. My Dh had cancer 5 ears ago.

Working as a road death investigator. So many people of all ages going about their business not knowing they would never return home. Very sobering and thought provoking. We are all just a moment in time.

Getting diagnosed with a brain tumour when I was 27. I'm one of the "lucky" ones to still be alive 5 years later. Ho hum. I'd apparently had it for years without knowledge of it so whilst I do live my life normally in terms of we got married, had a baby etc it's weird paying into a pension etc when I know that I'll be unlikely to be alive to actually benefit from it personally, so it's more about making provisions for life after me. And also seeing all of the travel etc that my parents do now they're retired (pre Covid) and thinking that will never be me, but hopefully my husband will get to do it for me. And with someone else, as I wouldn't want him to grow old alone.

My job in palliative care makes me remember every day that life is short and no one knows what's round the corner for them. I've looked after people of all ages in their last week's, days and hours of life and many stay in my mind forever. It makes me focus on making nice memories for my children. My own dad died in his 40's when I was a child and my happiest memories are of family holidays with him so I have always prioritised holidays and fun over boring house work and house renovations.

Dad dying suddenly