“Remember that you too will die someday.” This is the rough translation of the Latin phrase, Memento Mori. It's a phrase used in association with many pieces of literature and art revolving around the concept of death. Death is something that almost everyone one of us fears in one way or another. It's in the very DNA of the human condition to seek survival and happiness, and anything associating with death itself is considered taboo in a sense. Yet somehow, these two words from a dead language of which I know little to nothing about, have engraved themselves into who I am as a person today and how I approach my life. To me, the realization that death is inescapable was liberating. Now stick with me, because I know that sounds pretty concerning.
Everyone of us will die. You will die. I will die. Our families, friends, neighbors, enemies, leaders. Whether it be soon or in the long distant future, we will all meet our end one day. Pretty bleak. Yet there is beauty hidden deep under all that. So much energy is wasted on fearing death. Most people don’t want to die of course, and so they try to keep death as far away from their mind. But it’s a pointless endeavor. What’s the use in looking away from something that’s going to happen eventually? In the grand scheme of the universe, our lives are pretty insignificant. We live, play, and work, but eventually we die. If you accept that death will happen, you could start to see the world in a much newer light. It places so much more importance on the time that you do have. Understanding that your time is limited, only forces you to stop waiting on doing things you want to do. If you use this perspective, you could find yourself putting yourself out there a lot more. You also begin to not stress about things as much as you used to, like failing a test or arguing with your parents, because in the grand schemes of our lives, there are just small moments that will eventually pass with time.
This all might seem far away for most of the people reading this. Death is something in the very far future, so why should you even begin to think about it? It may even seem strange that one would want to hold death in the same importance as life. And don’t get me wrong. No one should actively seek death. Our lives are precious because they are so fragile, and they should be enjoyed to the fullest. I’m also not saying that people shouldn’t feel sad or angry about death. It’s right to feel emotions when a life comes to an end. It’s just that life and death go hand in hand. You can’t truly appreciate life, without the existence of an end. I just want people to understand the importance of what death represents, and respect what that understanding can give you. Whenever you find yourself on the fence about a big life decision, remember that this is the only life you get, and choose what you think will make you appreciate it. Remember. Memento Mori.
Comments