Thursday’s Thoughts: Death is here to help with Life.

Hey all, I hope to find everyone well and enjoying the great weather.

We were away on vacation last week. Sorry about not getting a “thought” out last thursday. This week’s thought is something a little different than our normal health and wellness blog. The subject matter is one that all of us will eventually come to. Our time here is very limited and precious. What I mean is we all will eventually pass away. Here are some of my thoughts about Death to understand the meaning of Life. I don’t want this to be something morbid or sad, I just want you to understand the meaning that I have for life and try to understand why we all have to go through Death.

1. Natural- Death is a natural part of Life’s cycle of development. ” There is a certain limit to the appropriate length of time in this world. Just as fruits and veggies are limited by the seasons of the year, everything should have its beginning , its life, and it’s ending, after which it should pass away. Wise people willingly submit to this order”. –  Marcus Tullius Cicero

2. Wholeness– The paradox is that death makes life whole. ” What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly. -Richard Bach

3. Surrender and Acceptance– Surrendering to nature, and accept that you won’t get around to some things. “Never postpone a good deed which you do now, because death does not choose whether you have or haven’t done the things you should have done. Death waits for nobody and nothing’. – American Indian wisdom.

4. Just visiting– You are just a visitor on earth. ” Remember, you don’t live in the world, you only pass through it”. – Leo Tolstoy

5.  Length- A certain amount of life has already passed, and you don’t know how much longer you will get. ” Remember how long you’ve been putting this off, how many extensions the gods gave you, and you didn’t use them. At some point you have to recognize what world it is that you belong to; what power rules it and from what source you spring; that there is a limit to the time assigned to you, and if you don’t use it to free yourself you will be gone and will never return.” – Marcus Aurelius.

6. Depth– Due to the unknown length, your best bet is to live deeply and fully. ” What is important is not the length , but the depth of life. What is most important is not to make life longer, but to take your soul out of time, as every sublime act does. Only does life become fulfilled.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 7. Purpose– Living deeply and fully could simply be called living purposely. ” Your life may be cut short at any time; therefore, your life should have a deep purpose, a significance that will not depend on whether it is short or long”. – Leo Tolstoy

8. Know yourself– Have awareness of your essence and know yourself. “#1 Regret of the dying: I wish i’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” – Bronnie Ware

9. Art of living– Awaken the art of living to understand the art of dying ( and vice versa)  “One learns the art of dying by learning the art of living: how to become master of the present moment” – S.N. Goenka

10. Today– A single day is a fractional  version of a lifetime. ” Each night , when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.” -Mahatma Gandhi

11. Unbusyness– Busyness is one of the biggest distractions from living. “I worry that i;; face my death and realize that my life got lost in this frantic flotsam of daily stuff”. Brigid Schulte

12. Presence– Life only exists in the present moment. ” The longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose”. – Marcus Aurelius.

13. Final revelations– Know that some things won’t be revealed until the verge of death. ” In our final moments we all realize that relationships are what life’s all about. Wisdom is learning the truth sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until you’re on your deathbed to figure out that nothing matters more’. – Rick Warren.

14. Beyond Death– Contemplate what may happen after death.  ” The gift we receive on the inner journey is the knowledge that death finally comes to everything- and yet death does not have the final word. By allowing something to die when its time is due, we create the conditions under which new life can emerge”. – Parker Palmer

15. Overcoming fear– It is possible to truly overcome the fear of death while you are alive. ” Remembering that i’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Almost everything- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what’s truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose”.  – Steve Jobs 

I want everyone to live the best life you can. Hug and kiss your partner, love your children with your whole heart. Smile more and love your pets. LIve while we still have time.