Chasing Life

Chasing Life is the title of a new podcast with CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta "to help us approach our new normal mindfully as we balance self-care and productivity."

It immediately struck me that chasing life is what we all do, or at least, what we should be doing. Yet it seems that too many people have given up on chasing life and are content to let life unfold on its own terms and at its own speed. Inertia and stagnation and -- dare I say it? -- laziness are difficult to overcome. And of course, the coronavirus pandemic has wrought major changes to our lives, emotionally, mentally, financially and physically. It also has given us an opportunity -- even a nudge -- to reset our lives. 

Now that the pandemic is easing and more Americans are getting vaccinated, we are faced with the question of what kind of lives we want to chase in the future. It’s pretty apparent that things will not go back to the normal to which we are accustomed. So it’s up to us to create a new normal.

I'm pretty happy with the life I have led for many years, but I have always felt that there is something lacking. I recently met a woman who, it seems to me, is chasing life to the fullest. She is living with an incurable disease that nearly took her life. The treatment to which she was subjected was brutal, leaving her unable to walk for 6 months. But now that she is well -- or as well as it is possible to be while living with an incurable disease -- she is embracing life. She runs several miles a day. She climbs mountains. She hikes. She travels. She follows her passion of photography. She is kind. She is a supportive wife and friend. She loves animals.

The pandemic has caused many people -- I among them -- to reassess their priorities and examine their lives. After hearing her story and seeing her resilience, I asked myself what I will chase for the remainder of my life.

What kind of life should I chase? Fancy cars and big houses never have interested me. I live a pretty simple life, spending very little on myself except for travel. I am happy with the photography gear I have and I see no need to constantly chase the latest and greatest equipment. I have a good car, and I don’t need anything newer or more expensive. I prefer to spend my money on charitable donations and on experiences in interesting places.  

I told this woman that she has inspired me to live better because I wanted her to know. I pledge to give my absolute best effort to chasing my life, however much of it remains. So I will be generous with donations to nonprofit organizations that I support. I will continue to make it possible for a deserving female student from rural Kenya to attend high school by funding a 4-year scholarship. I will try to always be kind to those I encounter, whether I know them or not. I will look for opportunities to do nice things for family and friends. I will continue to read and learn and keep my brain active. I will continue to travel for as long as I am mentally and physically able to do so. I will work on improving my photography skills.

My unsolicited advice to you: Chase your dreams. Chase the things that make you feel alive and happy. Chase excellence in whatever you do. Chase the quality of your life rather than the quantity, although we should hope for both. Don't wait for a life-threatening diagnosis to begin chasing your life. We don't know when life as we know it will come to a screeching halt. 

So get out there and chase your life.