At any time, those closest to you could vanish from this existence. You too. In fact, that could be said for everything in front of us - this computer, your connection to the internet, this blog, your desk, your phone - everything.
With everything's state being subject to fate, how might you deeply enjoy yourself in the present without being anxious?
Anxiousness is the friction that comes from your brain living in the future but your body lives in the present; like some 4th dimensional space-time shift that science fiction storytellers share with us.
Being present is where your mind and your body are in the same temporal space - now.
If all that is true, then the way to enjoy our subject-to-fate existence is to the be present - to deeply appreciate and enjoy now.
How to enjoy the present?
Paradoxically, acknowledge that the present could be taken from you at any time.
When I tell myself that I could die at any moment, I become more focused and I become more calm. I focus hard on doing my best work.
When I tell myself that the person in front of me could leave this universe at any second, I become more focused on that person. I want to be with them. I want to listen to them, seek to understand them, and share that I love them before I leave.
When I sleep, I remind myself that I lived and did the best I could, and if I should wake up tomorrow I'll do better. I find that gives me a sense of calm and relaxation before going to bed, and I wake up deeply thankful to do it again.
Morbid?
Realistic.
Confronting our humanity and mortality is a human and realistic thing to do. When we realize that we (and our friends) are not immortal, we start to appreciate ourselves (and them) that much more.
"Whatever can happen today can happen at any time." - Seneca
