We cannot avoid illness. Even the healthiest and strongest among us cannot keep themselves from catching a cold once in a while. And while many illnesses can be easily cured, there are some major ones which may be much more of a struggle.
If you have recently been diagnosed with a major illness, the first thing to remember is that this is not the end of the road - many people with major illnesses live productive lives. Some live even more meaningful and enriching lives than healthy people because they realize the value of their time left. They make every minute count, because the next one could be their last.
But this is not just true of the very ill - I mean, if you think about it, we're all dying. Every breath we take, we have less and less time to make our lives count. All of us really should be giving more thought to our numbered days and what we can do to make them the best we can.
Most healthy people though do not understand just how precious their remaining time is. Some even fritter their days away on idle pursuits or hollow goals, thinking that they have all the time to question the "meaning of life" or the "futility of life" instead of simply living it. In many instances, it is indeed true that the dying are the most truly alive.
Also, shift your emphasis onto people - your loved ones, your doctors, your care-givers. You do not have to go through this alone. Communicate with them and let them help you achieve your goals. Make developing relationships your number one priority. Through you, your friends and loved ones will also come to realize how valuable time is.
Remember not to rush. Many people with major illnesses make the mistake of thinking that their time is so limited that they have to take on everything at once. This not only dilutes any potential rewarding experience, it increases anxiety and can lead to further stress on your health. Haste is the plague of the modern world. Go at your own pace and try to fully savour every experience.
The future is unknowable; the only certainty is that we all die. It may be a virus, it may be a natural disaster, it may be a bomb, it may be a car. That is not for us to say. All we can do is make the most of what we have now. And that's the best thing anyone can do, regardless of illness or good health.
Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd
