Death
written by: Kelly Doheney
Death is a force looming over us, casting its shadow over life. It is an unavoidable conclusion to our mortal life—a destination we must all eventually face. Death marks the end of our human journey. Where we go from there, we don’t know for sure. But some people, like myself, believe in the spiritual, believing there is more to life than our mortal end.
But in its quiet, pondering way, death takes on a mysterious beauty. In death, we find the answers that we have always asked for. Will there be something more? Or is this life all there is? Will there be respite from the trials and tribulations of life or the consequences thereof? Death reminds us to live each day to the fullest, cherishing the present.
Death whispers to us that our lives are only short-term and that we should not take even a minute for granted. We think we have many more years, but the years pass like seconds. Death teaches us to appreciate life’s beauty, save the moments of joy and happiness, and even savor the pain because pain is simply a lesson. We learn and grow through pain.
In the face of death, we are confronted with the fragility of our existence, urging us to live authentically, with purpose and meaning. So many of us try to put on a mask, to be someone else, to conform to society, that we don’t stay true to ourselves, and our lives become wasted energy. We confront death with a final acceptance that every moment is a moment to treasure. For some, our mortal life is very short; for others, it might be a long time, but regardless, we strive to take in each moment for what it is.
