Progeria is a rare genetic disorder that affects the nucleus of a person’s cells. This results in severe cardiovascular complications, and individuals with this disease typically die before they turn twenty years old.
This does not stop people with this disorder from living full lives, however. There are many notable people with progeria, among them is Sam Berns. In his TEDx talk, Sam shared his philosophy on how to live a happy life, which are:
Noon comes and it is time for your lunch break. Your co-workers want to eat outside as a group, so a decision needs to be made on which restaurant to go. As usual, this seemingly simple choice becomes difficult as the group cannot reach a consensus. No one wants to be assertive, and any suggestion that comes up is met by reasons why it is not a good idea.
After reaching a stalemate with no clear winners, an hour has already passed, signaling that lunch break is over. In the end, the group went back to work hungry.
The day has just started and I already feel tired. As I sip my morning coffee and the haze begins to dissipate, I think of the day ahead. The things I have to do. Work, study, chores, and responsibilities. The list goes on.
To organize my day I write a checklist of the things I need to do. It felt good to cross out each task as the day went on. But after a while I came to a dreadful realization: not only do I struggle to finish everything, but my checklist becomes longer and longer.
Fukashima Island, also known as Cat Island, is home to more cats than humans. NHK World (Japan) released a great documentary about the island and its inhabitants titled “Raising a Family on Cat Island“.
Centuries ago, this island was a bustling fishing village. Today, less than 20 people remain, and their numbers continue to dwindle each year because of emigration or old age. Due to the lack of children staying in the island, the schools already closed decades ago, and children have to go to the mainland by boat in order to continue their studies.
A common cause of relationship and family problems is money. Even if you get along well with others, friction can still exist if there is a financial aspect to an issue (more often due to lack of money). In fact, a lot of issues in the world are money problems.
But there are problems that are not about money. If you or a loved one got afflicted with a disease that has no cure, no amount of money can afford you the medicine, as it doesn’t exist (yet). Once you lose your family or friends, they cannot be brought back regardless of your wealth. If your relationship with someone reaches a breaking point, money alone cannot get it back to the way it were.