There is a phrase I once heard that made me reflect on the meaning of life and the present moment:

“Life, if well lived, is long enough.”

Many of us want to live a long life. We don’t like thinking about death when, ironically, death is the only certainty from the moment we are born. Everything else is past experiences and future illusions. The present moment is the only thing we truly hold in our hands, and we must make this moment the best one, always, as if it were the last moment we have left. One day, on a day we least expect, it really will be the last. If we don’t live each instant with as much joy as possible, if we don’t make every second count, what is the point of having had a long life? What is the point of having time if we cannot use that time to be happy and to bring happiness to everyone we can?

Every day is a gift. Waking up and feeling alive, being able to walk, being able to embrace our loved ones, stepping outside and feeling God’s light is a privilege not everyone has. We must live each day as if it were our last and accumulate happiness in every moment, not candles on our cake.