Month 2: Nepal
Take a deep breath. Feel the air going in and out of your lungs. Put your hand over your chest, feel the life flowing through with every heartbeat. Feel the fragility that is your life. The simplest of events can stop that beat, and everything you know and understand goes dark.
Life is short. Think about what you were doing a couple hours ago, that part of your life is forever gone. You cannot rewind, pause, slow things down or forward them. You can only live your life in the moment. The only thing certain in life is that one day, you and everyone you know will face that death. Are you ready for it?
Have you ever thought about how you want to die? Most people will say they want to pass away as an old man or woman in their sleep. They don’t want to feel any pain.
I disagree, death is a glorious thing, There is a certain kind of beauty in it. It is the only time in life you can REALLY show what is important to you. What is worth fighting for. There is a lot you will learn in this moment. Your perspective on the life and the world will drastically change in those last few moments.
I was thinking about this the other day. I want my death to take a minute. I want time to savor it, to see the beauty in the life I had. Contemplate on the good and bad things that happened. This got me thinking, if I was dying right now, and looked back on my life, would I be content with the life I lived?
That question scared me, because the answer is No, not at all. There is so much I have planned to do in my life that is worth something. Because I have my whole life for that right? To do something that matters, to make my mark on the world. Except that we are not promised tomorrow. That is why the bible says to live everyday as if it were your last.
Find what is important to you in your life. What is worth living for. More importantly, what is worth dying for? Fight for those things.
Is what you are doing with your life fall into that category? If you died right now, could you be happy with the job you had? With the attitude you had every day about those things? Do you live every day as if it is your last? When you die, will you be thinking about the things you missed out on? All the things you wish you had done? Or will you die with a smile, content with the way you lived your days?
Look for the beauty in life.
The following is a poem by Tecumseh, an Indian Chief from the 1800s. Although I don’t agree with all of it, it’s a beautiful poem….
"Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart
Trouble no one about his religion
Respect others and their views
And demand they respect yours
Love your life, perfect your life
beautify all things in your life
Seek to make your life long and of service to your people
When your time comes to die
Be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death
so that when their time comes they weep and pray
for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way
sing your death song
and die like a hero going home."
