Living to stop living. What an illogical situation!

Greetings, everyone. Good morning, afternoon, or evening. I hope you are all doing well and that today is a day filled with blessings and deep reflection. Although the title of this post may sound confusing or redundant, I feel that it literally seems like a law of life. We often hear phrases like, "Live your life relaxed" or "Enjoy it, because you only live once." We're also told, "Dedicate yourself to your family and forget about everything else." But the question is: do we really have time for all of that? Can we truly live life the way we want?

As I was driving to work, admiring the beautiful scenery along the roadside, I was thinking about how routine working life can be. Mind you, this isn't a complaint, just a thought that many of us surely share, or at least those of us who work set hours every day. I work eleven hours a day. I leave home at 6:30 a.m. to be at work by 7:00 a.m. and finish my shift at 6:00 p.m., which is a total of eleven working hours, not counting travel time. In practice, I spend almost twelve hours away from home.

I was thinking about all this because I have an eight-month-old baby, whom I can only see and enjoy for a couple of hours a day. It makes sense: I get home, shower, have dinner, and shortly after, my baby is already asleep. It's hard not being able to spend more time with my family. This is where I feel that, literally, we live to stop living. We live working, running errands, and fulfilling commitments.

So, where is real life? Where is that phrase that invites us to enjoy it to the fullest, if barely a man, and in many cases a woman too, spends half the day working, gets home at night, and has to dedicate the rest of the time to resting to start all over again the next day?

I'll say it again: we live working, running errands, and fulfilling commitments. At the same time, we neglect family time, time with our children, and family gatherings. How illogical this lifestyle can be! I know that sometimes there's time for everything, like during vacations or the occasional weekend, but often I feel it's still not enough.

I'm sure many will relate to this reflection, because each stage of life brings its own unique challenges. Putting all of this into perspective, I think the conclusion is simple: cherish every single minute we can share with those we love most.

I don't understand how some people have the privilege of being with their families every day and yet still choose to dedicate that time to vices, parties, or solo trips. That's life: some of us beg for more time with our loved ones, and others have it but choose to prioritize other things that can wait. While I'm at work, my wife often video calls me so I can see my daughter. In those moments, I start talking to her with great affection; perhaps she doesn't understand my words yet, but at least I feel present in some way.

That's my reflection for today: to make the most of the little time we have with those we love, to put aside prejudices, conflicts, and anything that makes us waste those precious minutes that, however few, are what truly allow us to live.