When Oliver Sacks mused about the transient nature of life, he delved deep into our collective psyche, urging us to confront the inevitable.
Death, a subject most of us shy away from, isn’t just an end. It’s a reminder of life’s fleetingness, urging us to cherish every moment, big and small.
This is a thought I’ve been trying to hold in the front of my mind.
I think it encourages us to make better choices and waste less time. Crucially, it gives us permission to worry a little bit less about things.
When you compare your daily worries next to death, nothing is too bad.
We will all be dead soon.
As Junior Soprano once said: “Funny how life works. The different paths. All leading to the cemetery.”
Death: The Often-ignored Constant
In the modern age, death has been sanitised, removed from daily discourse, and brushed under the carpet of our consciousness.
And yet, as the Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote, “We are dying every day.” Death isn’t waiting for us at life’s end; it is with us every day, reminding us of our mortality.
I read recently that we only have (if we’re lucky) around 3 billion heartbeats in our lifetime.
That’s a big number, sure. But it’s certainly finite. And it’s certainly conceivable.
And this can stress you out. But it shouldn’t, it should serve as a soothing balm. It’s just a reality; we will all die one day. That day may even be today.
We’re all in the same lifeboats of a shipwreck.
Luckily there are some philosophers who can help us:
Sam Harris and the Illusion of Immortality:
Contemporary philosopher and neuroscientist Sam Harris urges us to shatter the illusion of endless tomorrows.
In his contemplative reflections on life and death, he emphasises that “each moment of life is a step toward the grave.”
This doesn’t invite pessimism but rather a profound appreciation for the present.
When we fully internalise our limited time, we are more likely to lead richer, more meaningful lives.
I thoroughly recommend Sam Harris’s Waking Up app for daily meditations and reading any of his wonderful books.
Seneca’s Wisdom: Life isn’t short, but we waste much of it
Drawing on Seneca’s wisdom, we come to understand that life isn’t inherently short. He actually argues that our lives are plenty long enough.
We just make life feel short through squandered moments and a lack of appreciation for the present.
Seneca’s writings urge us to recognise that by avoiding the topic of death, we inadvertently waste life.
Each sunset, every shared laugh, the transient beauty of a cherry blossom – these deserve our full attention, for life is in the ephemeral.
Epicurus: Death as the Great Equalizer:
The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus regarded death as the great leveler, not something to be feared.
He laughed at the wealthy with hundreds of servants, who thought they were better than the rest. Death does not discriminate. They would all end up propping up the daisys.
In his Letter to Menoeceus, he wrote, “Death is nothing to us; for that which has been dissolved into its elements experiences no sensations, and that which has no sensation is nothing to us.”
His perspective invites us to shift our focus from the inevitability of death to the vitality of life.
Finding Joy in the Mundane:
It’s a common misconception that to truly appreciate life, one must indulge in grand gestures or exotic experiences.
But if death teaches us anything, it’s the value of the ordinary.
The smell of rain, the warmth of a hug, or the comfort of an old song — these are life’s real treasures.
In his book “The Architecture of Happiness,” Alain de Botton speaks also about the aesthetic pleasures we can derive from our surroundings.
He believes that environments have a significant impact on our emotions and that there’s beauty to be found in the details of everyday structures and landscapes.
So, the next time you’re walking around; look up. Appreciate the architecture, the trees, the sky.
As we become more death-aware, we should also strive to be more life-aware.
In Conclusion:
Conversations around death needn’t be morose or morbid. Instead, they serve as poignant reminders of our brief sojourn on this planet.
By engaging with the teachings of thinkers like Sam Harris, Seneca, and Epicurus, we are encouraged to squeeze every drop out of every day.
In acknowledging death, we don’t diminish life. Quite the opposite: We amplify its beauty, its imperfections, and its fleeting moments.
As we go forth, let’s pledge to be more present, to appreciate the small wonders, and to live in a way that pays homage to the profound brevity of our existence.
Leave a Reply