Death is on everyone’s minds and death is one of the most elusive things we as humans forever try to pin down. Anyone who says they don’t fear death or worry about death are lying. It wouldn’t be natural to not have a little bit of fear of the unknown, especially when it involves grappling with the concept that you as a person, an individual will cease to exist at some point.
Its downright scary and depressing, however I think we overcome these feelings by enjoying the little things in life. Death didn’t ‘hit’ me, or the realization that we really do just one day stop living until I was about 18 or 19. I began to think more critically of death which helped me appreciate life a lot more. A sunny day, a run around the park, a steamy make out session with a cute girl, a tasty dinner, the list goes on. These at least are some of the millions of small pleasures available to me and to all of us each day of our lives and it really puts things into perspective.
I think the fear of death is present in each of us but we all react to it differently. Personally it pushes me to strive to work hard everyday at everything I do. I’m saddened when I see people so driven by money and possessions that they forget they are human and forget that just breathing is something to be happy about. It bothers me that so many people judge their self worth and their quality of life by their bank account. Its also downright disturbing to see in daily life how much death is pushed off to the side. Watch a day of TV and commercials and shows, and you’d easily believe death is just something that happens to some people occasionally. Its true. I’m even more saddened by how as a society we just define ourselves by our job title and the job that pays the bills. We live in a time of great technology where we can be so much more then just a job description, our voices can be heard, our talents can be many, and our impact on this world can be in many ways. We as a species are so obsessed with today’s man made goals of a good life that we really forget sometimes we are flesh and blood.
As for an actual afterlife, I really can’t answer that. I’m fascinated that we are such a complex system of biological and chemical reactions, but as I learn more about my physical self I grow more doubtful of an afterlife in which I live on after my body doesn’t. However I do see the value in believing in an afterlife as it allows us some sanity in putting off the ‘finality’ of death. At least it gives us some hope for life after death. I don’t agree in those who live this life only for the next, because if there is no next then what have you lived for?
We all need a nice balance between living well on this world and being an overall good person in case we get to the end of the line only to be greeted by a god who will judge us. As for today and the rest of the days alive, take care of your body, enjoy the physical pleasures of life, and in the end don’t worry too much about death because why worry about something that you have zero control over!
