Life is The Most Precious Thing: Waking Up To The Preciousness of Life
I never thought much about life’s preciousness when I was younger. I took my health, family, and time here on Earth for granted. I assumed I had unlimited days ahead of me and I could do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.
When You Are Young, You Have All the Time in The World
I sometimes procrastinated, made excuses, and generally frittered away my time on meaningless pursuits. I was a workaholic, and my life revolved around work. But all that changed a few years ago when I had a wake-up call that made me realize just how fleeting life really is.
Facing Mortality
I never thought much about life’s preciousness until eight years ago when I had a wake-up call that put everything into perspective.
Life Hanging in the Balance
I had to rush my husband to the hospital because he was unresponsive. After running tests, they discovered he had an acute-on-chronic subdural hematoma on the brain. He needed emergency surgery. This injury had occurred over three months before; my husband’s foot triggered the lift gate on our SUV to close, and it came down on his head while letting the dogs out of the car.
What If It All Could End In Less Than One Year
As he was in surgery, I desperately googled his condition. What I read sent a chill down my spine – he had only a 20% chance of surviving the next 30 days and an 80% chance of passing away within a year.
I was utterly distraught. It had taken me so long to find my soulmate. After eleven wonderful years of marriage, I could not bear losing my husband so soon.
Life Is Precious
As I sat in that sterile hospital waiting room, overcome with worry, Sadhguru‘s quote echoed in my mind: “The most precious thing is Life Itself.” I used to think career, money, and plans for the future were most important. But waiting to hear if my husband would live or die, I realized life itself was the most precious gift.
What Would You Change
The brain surgery was risky, and the road to recovery seemed like it would be long. Watching the love of my life lying hooked up to machines, I was filled with wave after wave of regret. Regret over petty arguments and plans for the future we may never experience.
Fighting for Life
“The most precious thing is Life Itself,” I had to remind myself. Just having him here, even as he was fighting to recover, was such an unimaginably precious gift after coming so close to losing him forever. Yet life’s fragility and unpredictability now felt all too real to me.
First Time Ever He Saw My Face
The first time his eyes found mine, I could see joy and recognition lighting up his face. My heart swelled with gratitude at that moment — gratitude for modern medicine, Dr. Fitzpatrick’s skills, and most of all, for the fact that we still had more time here together on this earth, even with how close it had come to an end.
Waiting and Watching
Over the next traumatic week in the ICU, every moment we had together felt unbearably fleeting yet infinitely precious. He was asleep most of the time, yet it was important for me to be in the room practically twenty hours a day, leaving him just to shower and feed our two dogs.
Time is Precious
Over the next traumatic ten days in the ICU, every moment we had together felt unbearably fleeting yet infinitely precious. Each time I got to speak to him or sit by his hospital bed holding his hand, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I promised myself not to take our time together for granted ever again.
Oh No Not Again
He was released, still struggling with short-term memory issues and physical balance issues. Three days later, a horrific setback – he began vomiting and losing consciousness again. I anxiously called an ambulance, and at the hospital, they discovered bleeding and swelling, forcing yet another surgery.
Beating the Odds
He spent another ten grueling days in the hospital, relearning basic functions like walking and talking. He still faced the 80 % chance he would not survive the year. His long road to recovery was just beginning, and it helped me to develop patience. Whenever frustration arose, I reminded myself what a miraculous gift it was to have him there.
Road to Recovery
Over the agonizing months of rehab at home, I became his tireless nurse and cheerleader. I walked him methodically around the house, had him do brain games on the computer to rebuild neural pathways, and forced him out into normal activities like driving and shopping. All the while reminding him how lucky we were just to be side-by-side through the struggle, given how close we came to permanent separation.
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger.
With extensive rehab, he made a full recovery over the next year. Our bond grew even deeper, having walked through the fire and survived. These days, we appreciate every single moment as the gift that it is.
We hold each other a little tighter and value our time a little more consciously, knowing life’s unpredictability firsthand. We make sharing joy, creating memories, and nurturing our love the priorities rather than letting petty issues divide us. Whenever I start to slip back into taking this precious life for granted, I remind myself of those tense days in the hospital and whispered prayers for just a little more time together.
So Little Time
I renew my commitment not to waste this gift. Our life now and our time ahead really is so incredibly precious and fleeting when it comes right down to it. The fragility made its value shine even brighter.
Miracles Still Happen
Finally, he fully recovered, his memory and faculties 100% intact by some miracle. We both emerged with a renewed sense of life’s fragility and time’s preciousness.
Life’s Most Precious Things:
We learned to truly appreciate the present while focusing on Life’s most precious things:
- Human life is uniquely precious due to human abilities like reason, emotion, and self-reflection.
- Importance of valuing life as a precious gift.
- Valuing life involves helping others grow and practicing generosity.
- Our health and ability to enjoy each new day together
- Deepening bonds of affection with loved ones
- Not sweating petty arguments or inconveniences
- Making relaxation and enjoyment priorities
- Being grateful for modern medicine and second chances
- Cherish each moment, and avoid getting preoccupied with little things.
- Not to waste life being unhappy or dissatisfied. Be Happy.
- Even difficult days have some treasure or value to appreciate.
- Time is incredibly precious, even more than money.
- Time is irreplaceable – it can’t be reclaimed once it has passed.
- Time is both a limited resource and a commodity.
- Prioritizing what matters most can be challenging.
- The key takeaway: life itself is the most precious gift.
Challenging Days Still May Occur
I still force him out of ruts to exercise, socialize, and keep sharp mentally – cherishing our continued time here. Because you never know when an illness or accident may suddenly steal life’s predictability. By remembering the dark days of struggle whenever I’m frustrated or bored, I renew my vow not to waste this priceless gift of time.
The Most Precious Thing is Life Itself
It took facing my husband’s mortality to truly wake up to the reality that “the most precious thing is Life Itself,” as Sadhguru has stated. As he went through the difficult surgeries and struggled to get back to who he was, this quote kept coming back to me.
Life is Priceless
Life suddenly seemed unimaginably precious. Things that I used to think were so important – my career, my social status, my possessions – all faded into the background. Each breath, each smile from a loved one, each sunny day took on a shimmering new value. I suddenly realized how priceless it was to simply be here experiencing life with my husband.
Living With Gratitude
Appreciating the Little Things
I started practicing gratitude every single day. I would wake up thankful for being given another day with my husband. I paid attention to the little moments throughout the day that I would have overlooked before – the taste of a delicious meal, the laughter of friends, the warmth of the sun on my face. The companionship of my soulmate husband. Each of these is a gift to be cherished.
The Best Things In Life
As author Robert Heinlein wrote:
“The best things in life are beyond money; their price is agony and sweat and devotion…and the price demanded for the most precious of all things in life is life itself–ultimate cost for perfect value.“ I discovered this was profoundly true.
Living With Purpose
That frightening brush with mortality eight years ago forever shaped our outlook. These days, we still hold each other a little tighter before bed each night, grateful for the privilege. We nurture our bond through daily check-ins and no longer assume we’ll have endless time together.
Meaningful Life Moments
The most meaningful moments in life – falling in love, sharing mornings and evenings on the patio my husband built with him and a warm beverage, seeing my stepson get married, hearing the laughter of my mom – these joys could not be quantified or captured by money. Their value is infinite.
The Blessing of Being
And when one of us faces a health scare or emotional crisis, we appreciate the blessing of being able to tackle it together. Just being present through the ups and downs is now something we never take for granted.
Someday Never Comes
I also became determined not to put anything off for “someday.” As I read in a Buddhist book: “Let us realize the preciousness of life, appreciating the conditioning that allows it briefly to flourish.“
Live Life Fully
I resolved to live fully and flourish each day, rather than assuming I would “do it later” after I checked more items off my bucket list. After all, there were no guarantees I would make it to 80 or 90.
“Life is precious. Will you realize this now, or only on your deathbed?” Sadhguru implores us. I chose the former.
Mantra of Appreciation
Every day when I wake up, I recite a little mantra of appreciation:
“Thank you for this new day. Life is indeed the most precious thing. Help me to fully embrace the gift of being alive.”
This reminder sets the tone for a day lived purposefully, gratefully, and to the fullest. For today, right now in this very moment, is indeed the most precious thing. I never want to waste it taking life for granted again.
Life is Frail
The fragility of life used to paralyze me with fear, but it now liberates us to embrace each moment. As we sit together quietly, watching sunsets or giggling over inside jokes, I still get overwhelmed occasionally with the enormity of how close we came to losing this. But mostly, I feel joyful gratitude soaking up the present.
Life is about the Who, not the Where
Life is not about where you travel to or what you do and see. It is about the little things. The at-home moments where we remember to appreciate the small delights – the smell of fresh rain and the warmth of morning coffee on the patio. And when petty frustrations inevitably arise, we check ourselves quickly – renewing our perspective about what matters.
The Simple Life Is The Best Life
Life’s unpredictability now gives us the courage to speak the truth, show affection, and follow dreams. For we know firsthand how suddenly it could all be snatched away. Every new milestone celebrated, adventure shared, or ordinary Tuesday night curled up on the porch brings with it the whispered echo: “Don’t take this for granted.”
Sharing and Caring
With death’s shadow intruding so rudely those eight years ago, life’s sanctity emerged even brighter. It taught us that despite pain and fear, the privilege of sharing years together far outweighs the guarantees of tomorrow. And for that insight, as traumatic as it was, we’ll be forever grateful.
My Wish For You
I hope that you never have to come close to experiencing loss to appreciate the people you have in your life. I also hope those you love can appreciate love and enjoy their time spent with you. Remember “Life is The Most Precious Thing.”
Life is too short to waste on petty, insignificant things. Your relationships, sharing, love, and gratitude will bring you the rich abundance you deserve. LIFE.
