Whatever can happen at any time can happen today. –Seneca

I was warned not to take the car.  It’s best days were in the rearview mirror and it was risky taking it on a road trip through winding mountains and steep grades. But it had been so reliable.   What was the harm in one more excursion?

My son and I embarked on an incredible adventure to our cabin in the wilds of Western Pennsylvania.  It is a simple place, with a slower pace, free from cell phone reception and the vagaries of modern technology.  We settled in for two days of hiking, golf, horseshoes and the occasional sip of delicious Straub Beer.   Glorious!

On the final morning, we packed up camp and hopped in my car to make the slow trek back to civilization.  I turned the key to the ignition and heard…actually nothing.  Not a sound.  Huh?  I tried it again.  Deafening silence.  Rut-Roh!  We were stranded a few miles from the main road with no cell reception.  Just then it started to pour with rain.  We didn’t need that extra dose of dramatic irony!

Undaunted, we scrambled up the hill and eventually got enough of a signal to contact a tow truck and my saintly cousin, who offered to take us and our gear to the local auto repair shop.  The place had an aura of Mayberry, with the old gas pumps that clicked off the tenths of gallons.  I’m guessing they didn’t take Apple Pay!  And the mechanic was right out of central casting, with a gruff exterior and a pair of overalls boldly emblazoned with “Larry”.  He dove right in and diagnosed the problem immediately.   It needed a new starter and some other belts and hoses.

Thinking about an “I told you so” moment on the home front, I asked Larry if the stress of the trip had caused the starter to fail, or if it was just bad timing on a long road trip.   Larry pondered the question for a moment and smiled.

“This here car has over 220,000 miles on it!”  

I gave him a look and shrugged my shoulders.  Whaddya tryin’ to say?

Larry did not hesitate.

“Anything could go at any time!”

He was right.  The car was on borrowed time.  But he was also right in the broader context.  Anything could go at any time in our professional and personal lives.

We Can’t Take Anything For Granted

The Ancient Stoics employed premeditation (premeditatio malorum)—to contemplate the troubles that might lie ahead.   Essentially, it is the exercise of imagining things or people that could be taken away from us, to prepare for life’s inevitable setbacks. There is merit in such an exercise if we employ premeditation to appreciate all the blessings we have in our lives today.

Nothing lasts forever.  The steady flow of money coming into the account.  The secure house that keeps away the rain and cold.  The trees that hold up our favorite hammock.  Our favorite drinking glass or most treasured t-shirt or most comfortable pajamas.  Our most reliable car!  We tend to live as if trends will go on forever and possessions will always be with us.  We can’t take anything for granted.  Life can be fragile.  Tomorrow is promised to no one.  Anything could go at any time!

And that is even more important for the people in our lives.  The client who always stays faithful.  The employee who keeps the office culture humming.  The boss who provides a shield from the slings and arrows of corporate governance.  The friend who always has our back.  The spouse who quietly supports the family in the background.  The child who brings joy to the hearts of everyone.  The parent who provides unconditional love.    While sometimes troubling to contemplate, life can change quickly. We have to appreciate these people and everything they bring to our lives while they are with us.  Anything or anyone could go at any time! 

Appreciation For the Now

But the same principle applies to the current challenges in our lives as well.  Debt could disappear and the money could turn on like a spigot.  Desperation could dissipate with a new opportunity.  Conflict could de-escalate with a frank conversation.  A toxic relationship could be replaced with a mutually respectful connection.  Injuries could heal.  Cancer could go into remission.  Anything could go at any time!

Even amidst the chaos, we have so much to be thankful for today.  We have a support group.  We have people who will do anything for us.  Winning streaks don’t last forever.  But neither do losing streaks.  Let’s appreciate what we have right now, even if it doesn’t feel like everything is going our way.

Anything could go at any time.  And that is a very good thing!