Life is as inevitable as death.
In this post, I will delve into a topic that many of us hesitate to discuss—a fundamental truth that often evokes fear: life and death. Have you ever considered that the only time life seems fair to all of us is during death, as it eventually comes to everyone. Regardless of gender, wealth, beliefs, or status – man, woman, rich, poor, atheist, saint – everyone experiences this commonality. Nature shows no bias towards humans, unlike the biases humans often exhibit toward each other. So, why do individuals whose lives are governed by the laws of nature sometimes behave in ways that seem to defy those very laws?
Now there really isn’t anything radically wrong with being sick or with dying. Who said you’re supposed to survive? Who gave you the idea that it’s an aghast to go on and on and on? And we can’t say that it’s a good thing for everything to go on living. In a very simple demonstration that if we enable everybody to go on living, we overcrowd ourselves.
We live in a culture where it has been rubbed into us in every conceivable way that to die is a terrible thing. And that is a tremendous disease from which our culture, in particular, suffers.
This simple yet profound words were said by American writer Alan Watts. Many of us are uncertain about the reasons behind this fear of death. Why does death scare people, and what lies beyond it?
The fear of death is rooted in the uncertainty of what comes next. It's not just about leaving behind the physical realm or the places and people we've known; it's the fear of losing our identity—our body, our name—and entering an unknown phase where the form and companionship are uncertain. Questions about reincarnation and whether we retain consciousness of past lives add to the complexity. As living beings, we often perceive lifeless bodies as mere matter without a spirit, emphasising the absence of the being we once knew. However, this may underscore that the essence of any living thing lies in its spirit, its energy. Death, in essence, gives life meaning and closure. It is a necessary step as we transition from one form to another, with our energy conserved. Life, viewed as a linear experience, is just a dot on an infinite line where time is a subjective interpretation of our position.
This is our big mistake: to think we look forward to death. Most of death is already gone. Whatever time has passed is owned by death.” – Seneca
This leads me to emphasise that every minute we surpass is claimed by death. Just like our death, we have no control over our past time ; the moments we possess in the present constitute life. Embrace the idea of death closely. Many may see it as negative to acknowledge the inevitability of death in every moment, which might make the present seem daunting. But, it's all about perspective. Instead, consider it as realising you won't live forever. That's the way to view it. By keeping in mind that life is finite and you might not be here someday, you avoid unnecessary things and people, leading to a deeper appreciation for life's moments. England-based graffiti artist Banksy once said, One day you’ll eat your last meal, smell your last flower, hug your friend for the very last time. You might not know it’s the very last time, so that’s why you should do everything you love with passion. Treasure the few years you’ve got because that’s all there is. You are here and life exists and identity. There’s something as inevitable as death and that’s life.