Nothing Matters... So Everything Matters

Morbid thoughts. They’re a funny thing, aren’t they? Sometimes, I’ll be folding laundry or doing dishes, and I’ll think to myself, “What if a nuclear bomb is dropped on my city this week? Would we survive the initial blast, or would our skin melt from our skeletons immediately?” These dark thoughts aren’t enough to ruin my day, but they’re mildly annoying, and I wonder where they come from. I guess the same could be said about fruit flies that magically appear in my kitchen.

The opposite is also true. Sometimes, I’ll be brushing my teeth and think to myself, “What if every food in the world tasted like chocolate?” The whimsical fantasies are a nice counterweight to the darker thoughts. So, I’m grateful when they happen.

This morning, though, something occurred to me. Or maybe I’ve always known it to be true, even if just subconsciously. In one thousand years, everything I own and all the people I love will cease to exist. The memories will live on (at least in the consciousness of the Universe). And our souls are certainly eternal. That much is true.

But in a tangible sense, there will be no trace that any of us ever existed. Poof. Gone. Erased with ease, much like the tide washing over a picture drawn in the sand. Modern-day buildings will eventually fall. Dams will break. Museums will crumble, and treasures will be lost over time. On a micro-scale, my books, podcasts, and life’s work will not even register as a blip on the timeline. Andy who? What books?

Is this depressing? Some would say yes. If our lives are merely a drop in the ocean, one could say that nothing we do really matters at all. But therein lies the beauty of our existence. When measured against the backdrop of infinite time, our brief and fragile existence is all we have. The present moment is glorious because it’s all we have and all we can control. It’s wonderful. It’s precious. It’s magical. And it’s happening right now. It’s like being in a casino and playing with house money. The thought of this doesn’t leave me feeling depressed. It makes me feel exhilarated.

So, we might as well take a chance on ourselves and have some fun. We may as well live passionately and pour our souls into our creative endeavors… not because the finished products will last forever, but because the creation process gives birth to joy. We might as well love with all our hearts and laugh until our bellies hurt. Tomorrow promises nothing. Perhaps there won’t even be a tomorrow. And if there is, it’s just another blank canvas upon which we can paint any masterpiece we wish.

So, if you’re trying to build a lasting legacy, place less importance on what you do and more importance on how you do it. Place less emphasis on how much you accomplish and more on the joy your accomplishments bring you.

Strive to see the beauty in the world. It’s always there, hovering in slow motion, just waiting to be seen and appreciated… if we simply take a moment to notice. In a world that screams “do more, go further, move faster,” I would humbly argue that the secret of life is doing less with more purpose and finding a way to slow time down rather than rushing through life only to arrive at the finish line.

The truth is that nothing we do really matters. And this is the very reason why everything matters so much. The world as you currently know it will cease to exist a thousand years from now. The only remnants left behind will be the love you gave to others and the emotions you spilled along the way. These intangibles will echo through space and reverberate through time, creating a symphony so wondrous it’s not just heard but also felt forevermore.

When you feel like nothing matters, please remember that you matter most of all.

Please forward this to anyone who needs a reminder.

Thanks for your support,

Andy Myers

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