Living life to the fullest is our only imperative. Yet we forget this too often. This beautiful story teaches us a profound lesson.
“A long time ago, a traveler eager for experiences visited a small town. Walking through its streets, he asked several people about any beautiful or unusual places he could visit in the area. They all told him to visit the cemetery.
Surprised by this suggestion, the traveler decided to stop by the cemetery before leaving the town. When he entered, he was disappointed to find it was just another cemetery, filled with tombstones, trees, and flowers.
However, when he began to look at the tombstones, he discovered that one had eight years, three months, and one day written on it, while another had five years, ten months, and six days. The traveler was shocked. He read all the tombstones and realized that the person who had lived the longest had only reached eleven years of age.
Overcome with grief, he burst into tears. The cemetery caretaker, who was passing by, approached to comfort him.
The traveler asked how it was possible that so many children were buried there. Was it perhaps a curse on the town?
The old man smiled and said:
– There’s no such curse. It’s just that we have an old custom here. When a young person turns 15, their parents give them a notebook, like the one I wear around my neck. From that moment on, when we intensely enjoy something, we write it down in the notebook and indicate how long that sensation lasted. We note how long the pleasure of the first kiss lasted, or the butterflies fluttering in our stomach, the excitement of that long-awaited trip, the joy of meeting distant people…
“So we record in the notebook every moment we enjoy. When someone dies, we open their notebook and add up the time they’ve enjoyed. Then we write it on their grave, because that’s the only true time they’ve ever lived.”
Living to the fullest is the only urgent thing
Too often, we go through life worrying about trivial things and let them ruin our day, which is actually the greatest gift we can receive. How many times have you gotten depressed because you couldn’t buy something you didn’t really need? How many times have you stressed out over problems that ultimately didn’t happen? How many times have you stopped enjoying the present because you were ruminating on something that happened in the past?
We can’t change the world, but we can change ourselves. Living life to the fullest depends solely on our attitude. Of course, it’s not about adding extra stress by thinking we’re wasting time, but simply about living more consciously, which means being fully present and keeping an open mind to enjoy the experiences each day brings.
How to achieve this?
1. Every moment counts, make the most of it.
A beautiful quote from Nigerian musician Babatunde Olatunji gives us a clue: ” The past is history; tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present .” Always keep in mind that the only thing you have, the only certainty you have, is the present moment. Therefore, don’t waste it by living between a past that no longer exists and a future you don’t know will ever arrive. Seize the small joys when they come. It’s you and your present; use that gift well.
2. Be who you really are.
Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself, the other places are already taken.” To live life to the fullest, it is essential to be authentic and, above all, consistent with yourself. Don’t be influenced by social pressure, because it often distances you from your essence and distorts your true needs. Every person is different, not only because of their genetics but, above all, because of their experiences. It is your experiences that shape you, so embrace them and use them to be happy. Find what satisfies you and don’t be afraid to be different. Be different and enjoy it.
3. Choose happiness, always.
Several centuries ago, Benjamin Franklin said: “Happiness is not achieved by great strokes of luck, which may happen only a few times, but by small things that happen every day.” Happiness is not a goal but a state, a choice we make every day. It is not the destination but the way we travel. Therefore, don’t wait to reach your goal to be happy; learn to enjoy the journey because if you travel that route with bitterness, frustration, or repression, you will discover that it will not have been worth it.
4. Leave your fears behind.
Daniel Defoe famously said, “The fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrible than danger itself .” In fact, fears are our greatest obstacle, a barrier that prevents us from leaving our comfort zone and discovering who we could become. Therefore, to live life to the fullest, it is essential to get rid of fears. In fact, if something scares you enough to make you feel those butterflies in your stomach, it is probably worth the risk. Remember that only when we manage to get out our comfort zone do we grow and discover how far we are capable of going.
5. Find the meaning of your life.
“The key to a happy life is achieving goals you’re proud of and a purpose to fulfill, ” said American novelist Jeff Lindsay. In fact, living life to the fullest doesn’t mean constantly seeking adrenaline-pumping thrills, but rather making the most of every moment. To do this, we must find the meaning of our lives, because only then do we feel fully satisfied. In that moment, it’s as if all the pieces of the puzzle fit together; everything makes sense. Don’t let social formulas limit you. Formulate your own happiness equation and dare to pursue those dreams, even if they are different from everyone else’s.
Although perhaps the key to living life to the fullest is much simpler and can be summed up in a single phrase: “Stop thinking about life and live it.”
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