Life Is Random
Like you, I awoke this morning to the horrific news out of Las Vegas, Nevada. There are no words for tragedies such as these, and regrettably, they happen far too frequently. As I began reading the details on my commute this morning, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the senselessness and randomness of it all.
Why not me? Why that night, in that city, and to those people? As ongoing investigations of the event unfold, some of those questions may be answered, but I have deep suspicion that we’ll still be left wondering, why.
No matter how much you and I try to anticipate life’s many obstacles, we can never fully account for the tremendous amount of randomness of it all. The idea that one night, you can go see a concert with your friends and possibly never return is terrifyingly humbling. There are humans, just like you and me, who were enjoying an evening of music, and will no longer be able to do that, all because of a random act of terror.
What now? First, I think it’s appropriate to acknowledge just how lucky we are. If you're reading this, to be alive, and to be experiencing the journey that is life, is far greater a gift than we give it credit. Next, I think it's important to remember that truly nothing is ever promised tomorrow.
Our biggest flaw might be that we base much of our reality on past experiences, and thus we think we know how we think things will turn out, we may even know how we want them to turn out, but the pure randomness of the universe means we’ll never be 100 percent sure.
Tonight before bed, I’m going to think of all the people I love, and just take a moment to be grateful. We may never fully understand what we’ve got till it’s gone, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try a little harder.