I’ve written about universal truths before and thought I’d completed my list, but I stumbled upon a few more. Okay, a lot more, but who’s counting? It’s sort of like the dust bunnies under my bed: they just keep propagating.

In addition to truths, we also share universal experiences — even if we’ve never met.

How many of these have played out in your life?

Alexander Graham Bell would be impressed

When I was a kid, each household shared one telephone line and when the phone rang, we all excitedly raced to answer it, like it was a contest. Now we each have our own phone and when it rings we ignore it. Most of us keep our ring on mute so we don’t have to be bothered by such a pesky thing as a phone call.

Remember when you used to have dozens of phone numbers memorized? Along those same lines, I’ll bet a nickel you can remember your childhood phone number.

Speaking of memory, just about everyone is able to remember the words to dozens (hundreds even) of songs that were popular during their high school years, but we share a universal inability to remember the name of the person we met 30 seconds ago.

Another memory-related truth: you walk with confidence and purpose into the kitchen because you need to get a… something. You knew what it was just a moment ago, but now you’ve forgotten what you went in there to fetch.

It used to be a game show

Remember life before the internet, when Password was just a game show? Back then our memories were full of dozens of telephone numbers and zero passwords. Now passwords rule our digital lives.

We all know we aren’t supposed to write them down, but I’m willing to bet 99 percent of us have a long list of them hidden somewhere, because who can remember all those passwords?

Short truths

These are short truths that can be stated simply, but require more contemplation than your smartphone’s memory capacity allows.

Refusing to make a choice is still making a choice. In this case, inaction becomes action. And while we are here, can I mention a pet peeve regarding choices?

When a person is confronted with a choice between two things, we cannot correctly state that they have two choices. They have two options and only one choice to make. However, if we consider they also can refuse to choose, then I suppose they have one choice and three options.

Change is the only constant. Everything and everyone — the world at large — is in a constant state of flux. If you are enjoying the moment savor it because it will be gone in the blink of an eye. Likewise, if you are struggling, know with certainty your current state will change. Tomorrow is always another day.

We are very limited in what we can control. We are unable to control the weather, the traffic and other people. We can’t control yesterday or tomorrow or even later today. All we have is ourselves in the present moment.

If you love you will lose.

Love always ends badly. With that in mind, one would think we would avoid love at all costs — yet the complete opposite is true. The goodness and wonderment of a beautiful storyline written by love outweighs a bad ending.

Simply put: love is worth it.

And with that thought, we will take a pause to contemplate, elevate and even celebrate our commonalities. I hope they resonate with you.

— Jill Pertler’s column Slices of Life appears regularly in the Times. She can be reached at slicescolumn@gmail.com.