Accepting the fleeting nature of life

June 25, 2026

I think we, as a society, have an unhealthy obsession with the past. We try to hold onto this past as much as possible. We love hoarding memories (pics, trinkets). We make list after list writing down every piece of media we consume. We fill notebooks with our day-to-day occurrences. And, for what?

Yes, time is scary. Everybody is afraid of dying. But we have to accept that life is not meant to last. Our conscience is meant to disappear at some point. Fear of death may lead to inability to accept the fleeting nature of life.

While I think that it is ok, and even healthy, to cherish memories, I also think some things are deemed to be forgotten. Moreover, I think holding onto the past too much is actually detrimental for us.

Excessive nostalgia may lead to the inability to stay in the present moment. To enjoy the present. Some people think the past was better, so they do not do anything to enjoy their present, to make the best of their time on Earth, because they are too busy yearning for the past. Nostalgia also makes us fall prey to companies that try to capitalize that feeling. Besides, recording stuff and making photos all the time makes us live our life through a lens.

If we accept that the past is never coming back, we will try to find beauty in the present moment. To enjoy the moment instead of trying to make it last forever. Things will end either way, and they will hurt when they end, but you will only find the strength to face it when it happens, not before. Worrying about the passage of time does not solve anything.

I propose a life with less worries, not trying to make moments eternal, but to enjoy them as they come. Stop trying to record everything. Neither life nor memories are meant to last forever.