What's the most important thing in YOUR life?

Image taken from Google Images

My friend, Yong-un leaned back in his chair and said with a heavy sigh, "Life is very hard, you know?" He was telling me about his family responsibilities, his financial responsibilities and pressure from work. Before becoming a teacher, he was a banker. He told me about the pros and cons of both professions.

He sighed again and said, "Life is really hard!" He was the youngest in his family, and his older siblings were all married with children. It was up to him to take care of his ailing parents who were frequently in and out of hospital. I told him that no one promised life was going to be easy. I was trying to put up a positive front, but at the back of my mind I was nodding in agreement with him - 100%!

"We have to focus on what's important in our life," he told me.

"So what IS the most important thing in your life?" I asked him.

He pondered for a few seconds and finally said, "My family."

I shook my head and said, "No! The most important thing in your life is your health. You shouldn't have to think about it. If you're not healthy, how can you take care of your family?"

"Yaaa! That's really good!" he said with a smile on his face.

I wish I could take credit for that tiny bit of insight, but I can't. Credit is due to my high school teacher, Mr Deutschmann (aka Mr D) who taught me Travel & Tourism. He noticed that I was taking strain with my school work and numerous responsibilities that I carried in my final year at high school.

During one of our lessons, he sat next to me and drew a triangle on a piece of paper. He explained that our lives are like pyramids, with various segments that rely on the other. The most important one, the base of the pyramid, is our health. If we don't have sound health, how can we work to earn money...to take care of our family?

Mr D probably wouldn't remember that moment he told me that, but I've never forgotten it. So if anyone ever asks me what the most important thing in MY life is, without hesitation I'd say, "my health" and after that comes my parents and brother, my passions in life and so on.

...anyways, just a random Sunday thought blog post~!