“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” (Marcus Aurelius). Death is a grim reaper that acts when it wants…an uninvited guest that visits when it chooses.
Death…an inevitable phenomenon that happens to all mortals on its own will, if not now but later.
Blind, deaf and dumb to the what and why, death chooses who to visit, when, where and how. Though a sad song that we don’t want to hear, its sorrowful melody we must listen and dance to, inevitably and ultimately.
It is a leveler for all…both the caller and the called. Death is a no respecter of any humans, age, sex or status notwithstanding.
It takes away both the poor and the rich, the aged and the young, men and women. It cares less about the powerful individuals or the helplessly powerless ones.
Death strikes at will…it comes for the strong and for the sick. It strikes, even if when one is rejoicing and/or is mourning.
It acts either violently or peacefully, but forcefully taking its victim(s) along. Death is a natural part and course of life which we must face with courage, without fearing it excessively.
As attributed to Marcus Aurelius: “Death smiles at us all, but all a man can do is smile back.” It is a natural phenomenon which is beyond human control and which we must accept.
Martin Luther King Jr once said, “If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.” Rather than fearing death, we should acknowledge its inevitability and focus on living well.
While we mourn the dead who belong to our past, we should live meaningful and impactful lives in the present, to the eternal shame of death who can only take away the body but not the soul.
Heaven do not be in a haste…we are all coming forth. Death is the ultimate time-keeper…a leveler, it tolls steadily for each and everyone of us when it is time.
No mortal shall leave this world alive. We shall all live and taste death at our appointed times…there is no room for I want to eat or I want to have my bath.
As we all await our turns to exit the world…when death eventually closes our eyes…may all the departed souls rest in peace…may the bereaved be comforted.
