How you live today is how you live your entire life
A tragedy is unexpected event or sequence of events that brings about great suffering and distress. The defining feature of a tragic event is its suddenness. A tragedy is not something that we can see building up, which is why when it occurs, it comes as a great shock.
A tragedy always seems like something that happens to others. For those who believe they are living ordinary lives, the misfortune of others is mostly a reminder to practice more gratitude.
But there is another way in which we all could be the victims of a tragedy every single day of our lives. I call this a tragedy spread thin. When your life is full of dissatisfaction, and regrets over things left undone it's nothing less than a tragedy, but one that stretches out over a lifetime.
We hear stories of failure and we feel bad for the people who endured it, and thank our lucky stars that it’s not us. But we too could be failing a little everyday, without even realising it. When we continue to do uninspiring work, neglect our relationships, and delay living the life we really want to, we are just accumulating micro-tragedies every single day.
It doesn’t feel that way in the moment because it’s a tiny amount mixed in with with the rest of our lives. But over a lifetime, if you add up all those little bits and pieces, you are left with a life that is unfulfilled. A tragedy that creeps up on you before you realise it’s too late.
How do we escape this fate? The simplest, yet the hardest, solution is to recognize what is happening. Is there something gnawing at you all the time? Maybe it’s your subconscious telling you that you’re not ok with the current situation. Ask yourself what truth you are afraid to admit. Are you really happy doing what you’re doing? What makes you frustrated? What irritates you? What infuriates you? Are you doing anything about it?
The good news is micro-tragedies require micro-efforts to quell them. You don’t need to make sweeping changes to your life; a little bit of effort every day is all you need to start reclaiming your life.
If you feel your potential is not being realized then start taking little steps towards the person you want to become. If you feel you’re underpaid, start learning new skills and looking for better jobs. Feel you are more creative than you have to show for it? Start building for 5 minutes a day: write, paint, code, research, whatever you need to do.
Remember that in the present moment regret looks more like indifference, fear, and laziness. But it is an emotion which quietly gathers force over time, and under the shadow of your neglect. Till one fine day it explodes into view as you are looking into your bathroom mirror.
The salvation is in averting the micro-tragedies, the daily transgressions, the things left undone and the desires given into. You can still save yourself, each day at a time.
