Have you ever wondered why the things we lost and the moments time has taken from us often seem so valuable in their absence? Does their transient nature make their absence feel inevitable, or does it serve as a reminder to cherish what we hold dear while it's still within our grasp?

The transient nature of things makes me hesitant to form attachments due to the fear of losing them. Sometimes I avoid deep connections because of this fear, yet I still find myself clinging to things I know are temporary. This inevitability of loss reminds me to cherish what I have while it's still within my grasp. Perhaps this is why the things I lose and the moments time takes from me feel even more precious in their absence.

In 1913, Sigmund Freud, accompanied by Lou Salome and Rainer Maria Rilke, was struck by the awe-inspiring scenery at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains. Amid this natural splendor, Freud's friends grappled with the unsettling thought that all this beauty would one day cease to exist. However, Freud offered a different perspective: He believed that the very transient nature of these moments enhanced their beauty. This insight became painfully clear a year later and materialized with the outbreak of world war, which devastated much of the beauty he had admired.

Reflecting on transience, I often grapple with a sense of mourning. After a therapy session exploring these topics, I once had a vivid dream that encapsulated these feelings. In my dream, I found myself in an oval-shaped room adorned with rows of photographs depicting the youth of my loved ones, neatly arranged along the walls. The transient nature of life, beauty, and youth were all vividly represented in these images.

Nowadays I encourage myself to confront my fear of loss and to discover the natural value within transience. Of course, emotions related to loss are often painful. Yet, in reality, everything is transient; emotions and experiences alike.