I don’t like thinking about death.
Both personally and professionally I’ve seen enough of it to know how horrid it can be, but as a responsible adult, I do periodically think about the practical ramifications of my own death when updating my will or discussing medical directives with my wife.
More importantly though—as a human being who wants to understand being a little better—thinking about death is a hill that must be climbed (or at least periodically attempted).
And what has come out of these attempts?
Well for me, two things.
First, when looking at the big picture (say 10 billion years or so) death is the ultimate arbitrator of human equality. As Beethoven’s 1st movement in his 5th Symphony makes so abundantly clear—when death comes-a-knocking—everyone (and by everyone I mean every human who has lived or will live) will have to open that door.
Sure, there are the fortunate few who on the universal time scale may get to delay opening the door by a millisecond or two, but guess what? The door is still getting answered.
Second, thinking about death reminds me of how precious—and how amazing—life is, and how essential it is to embrace every moment of this life.
Consider this. I didn’t physically exist for billions of years before my birth, and I won’t physically exist for the billions of years after. But here I am, this infinitesimally small little bright light of consciousness that can reflect on both itself and the universe.
Wow!
But what am I doing with this gift of life?
Do I have love in my life? Am I helping others? Am I making the world a little bit better? Am I doing something of meaning beyond myself?
Contemplating death forces questions like these upon oneself, and these are questions—provided you’re still alive—can be answered by taking action.
(Note: I don’t intend my 2-item list of positives about death to be all-inclusive. My wife brought up relief from suffering, no more taxes, and the cycle of life stuff to name just a few others!)