My trip to the Bay Area in 2019 had a special reason: my then 4-month-old nephew. I spent most of my day with him, and in the evenings I would go to SF. I had seen the Golden Gate Bridge a lot of times in the past, but to truly appreciate the scale of this magnificent structure, Fort Point is the place to be. So I decided to go there during the last week of my trip.

As I stood there in complete awe of the bridge, the golden light illuminating its towering frame, watching the waves crash at its feet, its massive scale reminded me of the grandeur of life itself. It was then that I realised that I would probably meet my nephew about 30 more times in my lifetime, and it was even scarier to realise that my parents would get fewer chances. I wondered how many more family dinners we would have all together and if I would ever be chilling with my grad school friends in our usual hangout spots. It hit me like a truck, broke me, and made me appreciate what my parents had gone through - what every parent goes through when their child moves away.

After that realisation, I made a conscious effort to overcome my introversion and prioritise spending time with the people I love. Rather than bailing out of such opportunities, I would make an effort to be more present. I also feel grateful for this shift in perspective because it prepared me for the challenges during the pandemic, which made it difficult to see friends and family for extended periods of time.

Life can seem formidable and everlasting, but the depressing math of it is that time is fleeting and really fast at that.

This photo captures such enormity of life in the transience of time, reminding us to cherish the handful of moments we have with our loved ones and make the most of it.