Consider Phlebas
April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
It has not been the best week for me. Among other things, I found out that a very young friend of mine--someone healthy, energetic, and just starting out in adult life--had walked into the doctor's office with a minor complaint and walked out with a body riddled with cancer. And not just cancer, but cancer at such an advanced stage, and of a type so atypical for her age, that it was shocking even to the doctors.
Imagine it. In a split second, how everything changes. She walked in a happy, presumably healthy person with a long future ahead of her, with all kinds of plans for career, family, friends, love, adventure, etc. All the many things she was hoping for and waiting for. Dreaming of. Now all those things are gone; pushed aside and replaced with only one goal, one dream--survival. Survival, despite very slim chances.
I don't know what I want to say about this exactly.
We're all saying, "It's tragic...someone so young!" We're shocked.
But really, I suppose what I'm saying is it's always tragic, no matter what the age, when that moment hits and we have to put all dreams aside. Especially if there are many, many dreams we end up having to put aside, because we never got around to them. And once we put them aside to fight for our lives, well, we we may not get a second chance to get them back.
And tomorrow it could be me. Tomorrow it could be you.
I guess that's what I'm saying. Don't wait. Whatever you're dreaming about, don't wait. Because there is limited time and tomorrow it may be you innocently walking into that doctor's office and walking out with your dreams permanently cancelled. It could easily be you, even if you feel great today. Even if it seems like you have lots and lots of time ahead of you.
That's what I'm saying. Live fully, love without boundary, demand what you want, accept nothing less. Do it now. Don't wait.
And if you don't know what you want, figure it out. Now.
That's what I'm saying. It's been said before, but it's important.
It's slipping away. There is no "next year" or "we'll see" or "maybe, sometime, later." There is only today. There is no later. Later is too late.
That's what I'm saying. If you want it, do it now.