We are born one day, then we live, love and raise a family for a varied number of days, then one day, we die.
This is a reality and the cycle of life which we all face. As to when we will die, no one can predict it. Some die while they are still inside the uterus of their mothers, others die upon birth or shortly after, while majority live long and die later. Some experience symptoms which may warn them of their impending death; others die without notice at all; quite a number end their lives through suicide or self- harm or are victims of violence like shootings, stabbing or in wars; still others are in the “here-now-and-gone-tomorrow” category and the majority are clueless as to when their “time to make their exit” from this world, would come.
A close friend of mine had a “here-now-and -gone tomorrow” experience, recently, when her husband died one morning after they had taken their breakfast. It was a devastating experience for her and the family.
Life is truly full of surprises. We do not know how our future would look like and when the end would come. Life is also full of happiness – we see and experience it everyday as we help each other during tough times and as we work collectively to make life better in our own little way.
Life is also full of sadness: people you love will suffer and die; your friends may abandon you; you may lose all your money or reputation, and innocent people may be victims of violence, human trafficking, torture and may be starved to death.
Life for us humans will always be a fluctuating experience: it is a two-way experience, like we cannot be good without knowing how it is to be bad and we cannot be kind if we do not know how it is to be selfish.
We also cannot enjoy life without understanding our inevitable death.
What if you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do? Or one day you received a diagnosis of a terminal illness or be hit by a speeding car?
The possibilities are endless, since we do not want to dwell on these things, we just experience life as it comes to us.
If tomorrow were your last day, how would you spend it? Some would cry because of their misfortune; others would take it positively and go through the treatment prescribed for them; or would you do something which you had been postponing to do? Or would you spend it with your loved ones? (William Cho, Live each day as if it were your last, April 22, 2018).
“Death is the destination we all share; no one has ever escaped it. Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.” Steve Jobs
Many of us do not want to die, and as the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks: “If death is the permanent end of our existence, is it evil?”
As depicted in literature, death is portrayed as something evil because it deprives us of life. However, Nagel explains that in the case of death, there’s no subject to suffer from. As long as a person exists, he has not yet died. Once he dies, he no longer exists; thus, there’s no evil that death can cause that person; this shows the paradox of death: those who mourn the dead are alive. Nagel continues: “We can either hold onto sadness or turn that loss into something meaningful.”
We often hear this phrase “seize the day.” Nagel adds: “I am encouraging you to live your life with a purpose. Instead of trying to hold onto life forever, embrace its ephemerality. What if we see life as a preparation for dying?”
When death knocks your door, be ready to leave. Live without regrets. When you stop portraying death as evil, you’ll start enjoying living.
Death is both inevitable and uncertain. We know it will happen but we don’t know when. Practice to train your mind to accept this truth instead of being in denial.
“When you have to go to the bathroom, it’s too late to build a latrine.” Tibetan lama Chagdud Rinpoche. (Gustavo Razzetti, Why accepting death will make you worry less).
May those who have lost their loved ones find comfort in this verse:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” John 14:1-2
Cherish each day spent with your loved ones and focus on the happy memories shared with them.
Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to all my readers here and online.
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Author’s email: [email protected]
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