The Now and Here

Of late, the reflective bug has struck me. I have found myself philosophizing about all manner of things until I am beginning to scare myself. You see, I thought I knew all my split personalities – psychologists suggest that you can have more than two personalities – but apparently, there is another one that is emerging. I am tempted to talk about my alter egos and multiple personalities but let me spare that for another day.

Back to the point, the reflective bug. I have turned into a small philosopher and before this phase wears out, it must surely do because I do not believe in pompous idling in the name of mulling over larger than life issues, you will have to bear with my thoughts.

Recently, I talked to a friend, Simon*, who has been suffering from a life threatening disease. Simon contracted tuberculosis mid last year and for the last nine or so months, he has been undergoing rigorous TB medication. Taking a regiment of drugs every day for nine months is not funny in the least; and when these drugs have all manner of side effects, the situation becomes very trying. In addition, there is the public stigma associated with TB with most people assuming that all TB sufferers are HIV positive.

It is true that most HIV patients eventually end up getting TB as one of the opportunistic diseases that plague them but even in HIV positive patients TB can be cured. Until recently, TB was largely a controlled disease but with the increasing rates of HIV and AIDS, the disease has re-emerged causing worldwide concern. As a result, many people with latent TB, which means they have inactive TB bacteria in their system but which is not causing any harm, are contracting active TB and being infected by the disease. About a third of the world’s population has latent TB according to recent research.

When Simon discovered he had TB, he was terrified but he managed to pull himself together, took his medicine religiously and put in place all the necessary measures to ensure his recovery. He is now on the road to recovery. Contracting TB made Simon rethink his life, priorities and since then, he has been a different man. He now knows that life is short, can change in an instant and that one needs to make the most of every single moment one has as it may be the last.

We have all heard many stories like Simon’s; stories of near death experiences that changed someone’s outlook on life forever, and every time we hear such stories, we are roused within our hearts. The desire to reform ourselves and make the most of our lives burns within us. Alas, if only this feeling were permanent. Soon after, we forget the power of this feeling that stirred us so much and before we know it, we are back to our old selves thinking that we have all the time in the world. We can still afford to play around with the important things in our lives.

This incredible aspect of the human nature to forget even the hardest and most painful lessons that we have learned still amazes me. We perpetually refuse to learn from the experiences of others and not until the tragedy happens to us will we learn and in some instances, we even refuse to learn from our own experiences. So what does it take for us humans to value the gift of life bestowed upon us? A death? A maiming road accident? Getting fired from our jobs? What? I still do not have an answer.

Nevertheless, it is absolutely important that each one of us engages in an introspective journey where we map out the important things to us, bench mark them and then evaluate how close or far we are from them on our life’s journey.

For my part, I have come to realize that it is the things that we think of as simple that end up being of the most important. It is your family that loves you, it is that special someone that can bring a smile on your face at your lowest moment, it is your good health, it is your friends who put up with all the crap that you dish out, it is that you live in a peaceful nation.

Unfortunately, these are the very same things we never give the time of day; we are forever busy at work to have time for our families; we are too busy chasing after the dream life to enjoy the here and now; we are constantly complaining about how fat, thin, short or tall we are to be thankful that we are in good health and not confined to a hospital bed. We are chasing the future and dwelling on the past that we never live the present.

When the time will come for us to stand up and be counted, many of us will realize with sadness and regret that we let our lives pass us by. The big cash, cars and houses that we so determinedly fought to achieve mean nothing; and in our blind pursuit of these things, we pushed away the things and people that really mattered creating a rift that can never be completely sealed.

I thank God for my friend Simon and for the life lessons that he has taught me. I hope I will not forget them until my own experiences give me a cruel reminder. I, like Simon, have decided to prioritize my life focussing on what matters most to me. I can only hope that you will do the same thing before it is too late.