Life's Too Short

Content Warning: The section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death, substance use, and mental illness.

Traveling symbolizes the characters’ capacity for or resistance to Living in the Present. Vanessa is an influencer who has traveled the world creating content for her YouTube channel before returning to her hometown. Believing she was developing ALS, Vanessa quit her job, cashed in her retirement, and traveled the world so she could experience different places as part of her end-of-life plan because she assumes that she will not live for long. Despite traveling to live in the present moment, traveling also prevents Vanessa from making long-term plans and settling down in a relationship—something she navigates as part of her character arc.

By contrast, traveling is something that Adrian is resistant to, which represents his initial inability to take risks and let his guard down. Vanessa encourages Adrian to take time off work, go on a trip, and see new places. He resists, saying he doesn’t have time to travel due to his work schedule. Additionally, Adrian is hesitant to travel initially, as flying triggers panic attacks—something he attributes to his father’s abandonment growing up. This symbolizes his fear and struggle to deviate from routine in favor of new opportunities.