Life is a funny old rollercoaster isn’t it. It goes up and down, round and round, upside down and zig zag across. It goes in such a way that as I wrote that last sentence I thought, “what on earth is going on?!”.
The conundrum that most of us face with life is that at any given moment your situations can change. The uncertainty of everything is what keeps it interesting but the peculiarity that I have recently come to realise is that whilst the uncertainty of everything stays ripe in your mind, nothing much really ever does change. Let me explain in context; lets take the uncertainty of the fact that any given moment anyone you know could just drop down dead or if we wanted to be positive lets say they could win a million pounds, but how many people out of everyone you know or have ever know do actually drop down dead? Unless you’re a medical professional then I would bet that not many (although you probably know a few millionaires).
A favourite quote of mine is from a Matt Haig book called How To Stop Time: “The problem with time is everything changes but also nothing changes”. This is so true. Think about the crazy rise of technology and the power you now possess from your pocket but there are still tools we use to this day like bowls and plates that were developed in the medieval times. Everything has changed but also nothing has changed. It’s also a bit like when you go and visit family you have seen in a long time; everyone has grown older and wiser yet the stories and camaraderie is often very much the same as its ever been.
Amongst all this, however, are the crazy moments where life does hit an unexpected turn and the equation of uncertainty is prominent. Suddenly a plan you set out isn’t going to work or is going to take a wild route that you hadn’t foreseen. These can be good, bad, ugly, beautiful and can result in the most incredible events (both in a good and bad sense). This week news of this nature came to me and suddenly I find myself on a path that, in all honesty, makes a lot more sense to me than the path that I did think I was on. I would say, however, that doesn’t escape me from the discomfort it causes when you are thrown off the planned route that you set out in your head. It’s both exciting and terrifying but I’m sure as with most situations of this nature, it will work out all for the better.
From experience of these uncertain turns, the trick is to ride the wave and seize every opportunity that comes along with it. So the next time you are caught up in that all so very exciting equation of uncertainty, embrace it, ride with it and see where you end up. Remember, that although life is built on the excitement of change, it’s rare that much ever does change.
Live it.
BG
benedict. 