There’s something that cannot be taken away, the narrow space between what happens and my response, is the choice to remain kind, even when I feel stripped down to almost nothing,
But what cannot be taken, I ask myself, if everything outside can be removed without warning, why do I still spend most of my energy guarding the outside instead of strengthening the inside,
And what cannot be taken cannot be taken, suggests that I can begin investing in what no storm can steal, the person I become amidst the chaos of everything I cannot hold on to…
Owning my brief life means recognizing that I don’t even hold it forever, only for a short while, like a candle I’m entrusted to carry without wasting the flame,
But owning my brief life asks me, if this is the only real property I will ever have, why do I rent it out to fear, to envy, to distractions that don’t love me back,
And owning my brief life tells me, I can treat my days as precious land, planting what matters instead of letting weeds of worry and comparison grow wild…
Letting go of false ownership is untangling my heart from the idea that I deserve a certain outcome just because I tried hard or wanted it badly,
But letting go of false ownership asks me, how much suffering has come from insisting, “this should be mine forever,” instead of whispering, “thank you for however long you stayed”,
And letting go of false ownership signifies to me that I can transition from demanding to appreciating, from grasping to holding gently and in this shift, my heart can finally breathe…
Living with borrowed time means remembering that I walk through this world like a guest, not the owner, grateful for every kindness and lesson along the way,
But living with borrowed time compels me to ponder- if I were aware that my time here is shorter than I assume, would I still squander so much of it by resenting, hoarding, and attempting to possess what was never mine,
And living with borrowed time tells me, I can walk lighter, love deeper, and hold everything softly, knowing that just having this one life at all is already a rare and temporary gift…
• The only thing I truly own is how I live this one life
• Everything else is on loan and can be called back anytime
• Releasing false ownership can lessen my fear of loss
• Borrowed time becomes sweeter when I stop pretending it’s permanent
• I can build my strength on what cannot be taken, not what can
