The Two Greatest Gifts
“God gave us the gift of life;" Voltaire once said, "it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well."
Over the last couple weeks, tragic events have befallen two people close to me.
The first involves my colleague and friend, Dan Sanchez.
Dan was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in his lungs and brain, which was discovered after he had a seizure. Dan, a married father of two little girls, is approaching this unexpected news with a courage and faith that would impress Superman, his favorite superhero.
He is determined to fight, and is already receiving treatments. His stoic optimism in the face of the deadly curse of cancer is something to behold. (People interested in donating for his treatment can click on the image below.)
The other tragedy involves a dear relative of mine, who attempted to take her own life.
The conflicting nature of these events made me think a lot. One person was struck with a terrible disease that he is fighting with all his soul. Another person is so unhappy she is trying to leave this earth. Why?
The great thinker Voltaire once said something that is worth pondering.
“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well,” he reputedly wrote.
As I look at our world today, I don’t think many people understand what it means to live well. And I think this is why so many people are struggling in a world that offers so much.
Dan is someone who does understand what it means to live well. You can see it in how he treats others. How he treats himself. How he grows as a human being. And you can see it in how he faces trials.
Why does he understand what it means to live well when so many others don’t?
I don’t know, but I think it goes back to what Voltaire said. It begins with recognizing that life is a gift, and one worth cherishing. And if one wishes to truly cherish life, it begins with giving ourselves “the gift of living well.”
Living well is not as easy as it sounds. Nobody does it perfectly. But it begins with recognizing that life is a gift, and that our time here is short.
Psalm 39 reminds us of this.
Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.
It’s easy to forget how fleeting life is, but we ought not. Because when we forget, we stop treating life as a treasure.
So recognize that life is a gift, our time is short, and try to live well.
Really sorry to hear the news about your friend. My mother died from cancer (a horrific death that I would not wish upon my worst enemy). I donated and strongly suggested that he research fasting and keto as a supplement to traditional chemo/radiation therapy, having read about miraculous recovery in Fred Evrard’s book, “How My Immune System Beat Cancer”.
I like most everything you write, Jon...but this was especially beautiful. Thanks for drawing our attention above the mundane to things of ultimate importance.