how very fragile.


whether we understand it or not this life that we have is so fragile. i look around at the world today and see so many natural catastrophes and wonder how they came to be, and why now, and how is it that with so much technology they could not foreshadow this coming. it could happen any minute to any one of us, and yet there are days that we wish would hurry up and end.

sometimes i let my mind wander to the events of the day of a person who loses their life. they wake up, like every other day and brush their teeth, put on their favorite t-shirt, have a bowl of cereal, and on their way to work they stop at the gas station to fill up. then it happens. out of nowhere, and when they woke up just hours before they had no idea.

i heard that if our planet was one degree closer to the sun we would burn and if we were one degree away we would all freeze, how fragile this world really is. who can account for mother nature the beautiful sunrises and the storms that brew in the evening.
this is not a depressing post, at least it was not meant to be. it was meant so be a breath of fresh air, to sit back and take a look at everything you have, everyone you have, and appreciate it all. the good and the bad.

Comments

Sara said…
When I think of the tsunamis I can't help but think about Miserable Visu and Revelation 13:1. I wonder if there is any relation.
CCCP said…
indeed... it can be a little depressing to think about at first, but it really is a breath of fresh air, to be a bit cliche. or at least a wake up call. in perhaps one of the best ways. but! we must also realize that WE MAY BE FRAGILE BUT WE ARE ALSO BRILLIANT. whether we know if we're going to die when we wake up, we can only see that we are who we are, and if we don't like who we see in the mirror, there's always the choice to change while you still have time to. Because if you really don't like you're reflection, there's only one person to blame...you.
Tracy said…
Wonderful post, Stephen, as always. I love that even when you're busy touring, promoting, etc. you still take the time to stop and look around at everything around you in such a unique way.

I remember watching the news when everything in Japan and Libya were (and are) unfolding. I remember feeling so much, maybe too much, about the earthquakes/tsunamis. But I thought, this was a natural disaster. No one could have predicted or prevented it, no one was at fault. It was just nature. And then I turned my eyes toward Libya (and other countries under a similar regime) and thought - but this isn't. This is a human being, inflicting fear and pain upon other human beings. And that made me angrier than any natural disaster. (Which isn't to say that one is worse than the other.)
even though i sent a small tweet i felt the need to say more than 140 characters. thank you again for this blog post. today was a little bit of a rough day for me. i got good news,but it was hard for me to handle,so much at once. i appreciate what i have, and who i am. but the world doesn't seem to think so. all the world cares about is itself, and wants the best of the best. i wish there was more i could do to help those who are in need of help, but at this current time i can't do a whole lot, but pray, and prayer is something, something strong and good, so on a good note i guess i am doing something even if its not the only thing i would do. i wish i could travel to foreign countries and help,someday someday.
i better stop here or else i'm going to ramble on and on i don't know why but i tend to do that.
Peter said…
About the sun/earth comment - you can read about the distance and its relationship to the earth's temperature here:

http://www.universetoday.com/14437/how-far-is-earth-from-the-sun/

I appreciate this post. I have plenty of days, including today, where things don't fall into place the way you want them to. It ruins my mood, but I pull myself out and realize I shouldn't get worked up over something so trivial (while it may seem bigger in the first place). Thanks for writing!
our life, every moment we have in this life, is there for a reason. we might not see the reason now but it proves itself sooner or later. everything is in it's place for a reason... if we were one degree away from how God built our lives to be we would either freeze or burn
Buzz Girl said…
Really great post...i thought about that especially when my dad was deployed to Haiti, New Zealand,and most recently, Japan. We take life for granted. Its something we all need to thing about.
Unknown said…
God is perfect, and He created this world as such.
As for these calamities, prophets have long foretold them, and they will only increase in number as we head towards Christ's second coming.

But once I heard a talk by a religious leader of my church that basically said that while these are the last days, and full of calamities, we should be happy. We should find happiness in the Gospel and in loving and serving each other.

In fact:
http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-2828-1,00.html

There is a link to the transcript. I think you'll like it.
Angela said…
My thoughts exactly...I thought I was untouchable, leaving in relatively sleepy, quiet Brisbane.... then in January everything flooded. Everyone is fragile, there are no exceptions.
http://myemptyteacup.blogspot.com/
nerd captain. said…
i thought this was absolutely wonderful. and so true. people need that reminder sometimes that we need to appreciate everything, and how lucky we really are. this was written so so well. thank you. :)
Anonymous said…
Sometimes, with all these things happening in the world, I can't help but feel like the world's going to end and I get scared that I haven't been a good enough Christian (or person, in general) to be saved.

I think we have to take a step back and remember that everything that happens, good or bad, happens for a reason. Everything's placed where it should be and that we don't have to worry. But it's inherently human for us to want to control everything. We just need to let go and take each day as it comes and like you said, appreciate it all. Gosh, that's the most important (and hardest) thing, isn't it?
Anonymous said…
My brother and his wife just lost their unborn baby..life hadnt even begun for the baby..it was just a huge eye opener to how short life is
Story of a Girl said…
Our lives could end at any second... whether through a natural disaster, an illness, or an accident. Life is indeed fragile. I love how this quote really helps us put things in perspective:

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." - Albert Einstein

I think it is powerful because when we do the best to live to love and help our families, our friends, our co-workers, a fellow human being, and our God... we'll be as ready as we can be to leave this world and know that we were blessed to live the life we lived and to be a part of others' life as well. Great post Stephen!
sui said…
thank you for this post.
Anonymous said…
When confronted with the natural disasters our world has been subjected to of late, I cannot help but be struck by the arrogance of the human race. We all (myself included) operate under the assumption that we are intelligent/advanced/strong/powerful/scientific enough to be in control of our planet. The sense of helplessness & astonishment I feel in the wake of these disasters, watching the aftermath unfold, is testimony to that.

Perhaps we have to operate under this conceited & wildly erroneous assumption in order to go on with our existence...perhaps truly acknowledging how powerless we are in the face of nature would strip us of the will to persist, continue & advance as a species.

Fragility & vulnerability are the most frightening of human experiences. It is in our nature to avoid & protect against these. But, as we have seen endless proof of in the wake of the recent distaters & crises, it is in situations where humans are exposed & vulnerable that true relationships & comradery are built & the human spirit shines through. In many ways, our fragility makes us stronger & our vulnerability is beautiful & powerful.

And then I am reminded...Jesus had to become vulnerable & fragile, had to experience all aspects & consequences of that fragility, in order to enact our salvation.

Thank you for a thought provoking post Stephen.

Kate (Adelaide)
Anonymous said…
Welcome home Stephen. Missed you! Please don't leave your blog again.
desiree said…
I have discovered the same thing as I have been studying congenital disorders and various diseases for my medical classes. People do not know how close they were, or are, to a tragic condition. If you can walk, talk, move your arm, eat, or even have a mind to do all of this, you are very fortuate, indeed. Trust me.
Shark said…
I am living this right now in Christchurch. I only moved here in early February only to experience several earthquakes and the constant uneasiness of the ground beneath you moving. I too often wonder about my daily routines and how similar they are to the people who have lost their lives in these situations. It's a bit scary when you actually come to the realization you aren't invincible and that at any moment life could be over for you or someone you love. It's constantly in the back of my mind now but I need to keep living and not let fear rule my life but the love that only God can give. That's all you can really do.

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