I recently wrote of the strange soothing I feel when I hear the noise of the city.

But living where I do comes with a flip side. Although I hear the sirens as they blare through the streets of downtown, I see so many more silent alarms.

The view from my balcony offers a wide glimpse over the less-congested South side of the river. And when dusk falls, the silent lights of emergency vehicles are near constant.

There is no calming familiarity to the silence, only a quiet understanding that something awful has happened to someone, somewhere over there.

Still, as my vantage point gives me this constant reminder, it exists regardless — and does everywhere. And while I empathise with the suffering of others, the regular reminder is a good thing.

Our lives are fragile and our time here is short.

Make the most of it.