Our own Mortality
Written by Mike Cheliak on September 13, 2009 – 8:14 pm -Everyone faces the question of his or hers own mortality. We don’t often dwell on it nor is it healthy to do so; but none-the-less it is a question that each of us faces from time to time.
Matters of health, fitness, medical history, lifestyle, genetics and personality play rolls in how we survive our lives. In a perfect world, we would all have a magic formula that works everytime. That is not the case.
Life is simply a journey in which we control our own destiny (for the most part). We adapt, modify, re-evaluate, change and re-assess our choices and paths all the time. Our physical life is much the result of our own action or inaction.
That holds true almost without fail. The rare exeption happened this last weekend. I was photographing a Triathlon as I do quite often. I have been with this series since 2003 and love every minute of the events that I cover.
On Saturday September 12th at 12:42 PM I photographed a very fit athlete who was at the top of his age category. Shortly after finishing the race, he collapsed and eventually passed away.
This is a person who was at the top of his age group, very fit and seemingly in perfect health.
Is there a lesson in this? Possibly. We should, if nothing else, accept that we don’t truly control our ultimate meeting with death but rather we live our lives in a fashion that befits our departure. Kindness to others and respect to yourself is only part of the equation. Living life to the fullest and all the old cliches are actually more accurate than we care to give credit.
Make your life count. That is about the only advice I can give and the only credo that I follow. I don’t subscribe to hype, political correctness, organized religion, political bantering or terrorists. What I subscribe to is Life…the way I see it, the way I love it, the way I live it and the way I move through it. In the end, my happiness will be shown on the smile on my face when my own life expires.
Maybe a little off my usual but still in happiness and health!
Mike C.
Posted in Mike's Posts | 3 Comments »
By Andrew Grieve on Sep 15, 2009 | Reply
I was warming up for the give it a tri and saw the incident. Very sad. Really makes you think about today and how we all treat each other.
Thanks for the post Mike.
By Donna Quick on Sep 16, 2009 | Reply
Well written Mike! It makes us think a little more about life, and living.
By RJH on Sep 17, 2009 | Reply
Well said. This is the way to live. Live life to the fullest. When I go I certainly want people to say “that guy did something in this life and will be missed.”