your mortality

[Shaolinwind]

When did it hit you that you were going to die someday? Did it chill you to the bone?

How do you feel about your own mortality and how do you emotionally deal with the inevitable?

I ask this, because today I had a thought that changed my whole outlook on the subject.

 

[Satt]

I am actually looking forward to dying (physically) eventually. I am not in a hurry though. Because of my beliefs since I was a child, death to me is freedom from this body. Don't get me wrong. I am not all depressed and suicidal. I just see death as a door to better things.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

I realized my mortality as a young man. Both my grandmother and grandfather died, from cancer, when I was in my teens. My views on death are still, after so many years, vague. Intuitively, I know it's a transition, very likely from the physical to the spiritual; however, it's still the greatest unknown and the unknown has always haunted me. My curiosity keeps me from being frightened of it; I'm concerned, mostly, at the prospect of missing events in my children's lives that pass after I pass.

 

[shesulsa]

I too must admit to my hang-up on missing out on events in my children's lives and being there for and with my family. I still have some discomfort around the idea of death that I must get over, but I'm working on it. Some days are better than others and I must say, on those good days where I don't feel as attached to my physical being as much, I have startling revalations.

Will you share your thought with is, Shaolinwind?

 

[mantis]

im always thinking about my death
kinda give myself a nearer deadline
it defiinitely helps making better choices, and perfecting whatever you're doing.
dont over do it though!

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

I think what drives my curiosity regarding the transition of death has been the extrapolation, via Taoism and some Christianity into the nature of life. It's my perception that we are part of a greater unity and death may be a return to that unity. My perception doesn't get much more complex than that and that simplicity, too, has helped alleviate any fear that may spring up.

 

[mantis]

I think what drives my curiosity regarding the transition of death has been the extrapolation, via Taoism and some Christianity into the nature of life. It's my perception that we are part of a greater unity and death may be a return to that unity. My perception doesn't get much more complex than that and that simplicity, too, has helped alleviate any fear that may spring up.

i think in religions that believe in an after-life should be thinking about death more, but in a positive way. maybe look at it as a goal, or as a place to view "results" of this life's tests... maybe!

 

[Jade Tigress]

I am actually looking forward to dying (physically) eventually. I am not in a hurry though. Because of my beliefs since I was a child, death to me is freedom from this body. Don't get me wrong. I am not all depressed and suicidal. I just see death as a door to better things.

Me too. To me death is just the beginning. I'm not afraid of dying. I am confident in what awaits me. What I'm not looking forward to is the process of dying. I've always suspected I'll have a violent death. I just want to go peacefully in my sleep. Heh, who doesn't right?

 

[Navarre]

There is a lot I would like to say here but won't.

I will say that I use my complete cognizance of my mortality to provide perspective on my life until that point. When faced with choices I often imagine that, if I was on my deathbed looking back at my life, what choices I would have wanted to make this day. It keeps the world in a broader perspective and prevents me from becoming too lost in the stresses of a moment.

Also, certainly my children have shaken up my place in the world. For the first time, there are actually ppl here now who I love and who love me.

Moreover, these ppl will/should outlive me. Therefore I have an even greater responsibility to live a life that creates greater goodness in the world after I am gone. Thus I am committed to persevere for their sake.

Beyond that, it is better that I don't delve too deeply into the purpose of my existence or the ending thereof.

 

[arnisador]

I don't want to go!

I can't remember when it really sunk in that I would pass some day...but as I get older, it becomes more and more real.

 

[Eternal Beginner]

My parents always brought us to funerals and wakes when we were children, therefore death was never a really scary, unknown thing to us. Over the years I have had friends and close family members die and as sad as I was to lose them, I always accepted it as an inevitability.

I suppose for me, death isn't scary because I have faith. Death isn't an ending for our mortal life is just a stage. I know (and I really don't have any desire to spark a religious debate here - this is my personal belief) that I am going on to better things and life was a necessary part of my greater existence. Death itself is not scary.

What upsets me about it is the fact that if it were to occur soon I would be leaving two children who need their mom. But, if I am granted many years, death will not be something I live in horror of. I have just found out my father is dying...I will miss him but I know I will see him again.

 

[swiftpete]

My father died when i was 10 and that was the time i started thinking about it. Very scary when you're a small child thinking about that sort of thing. Nowadays i don't worry about it, in fact I don't really let much worry me to be honest. I'm not religious and don't believe in an afterlife, i think that once you're dead that's it, but obviously everyone has their own opinions on these things. No one can say for sure what happens so I never really understand why people have such arguments!
I just believe in being positive and having a good life, life is what you make it, so I believe in making it as much fun as poss!

 

[Lisa]

I don't have a fear of death, persay. I just worry about my kids should they lose me, their father or someone close to them. My Grandfather basically raised me and he died almost three years ago. I was sad but he lived a good life, was surrounded by those that loved him and was ready to go.

 

[Flying Crane]

I simply made a decision that I won't die.

 

[mantis]

I simply made a decision that I won't die.

haha
<br />
good luck <br />
some how you remind me of that sea-cucumber controlling the world <br />
wise decisions!

 

[hemi]

“When did it hit you that you were going to die someday? Did it chill you to the bone?”

Well I think since I was old enough to understand the world around me I knew that death was a fact of life. But in that same way I never gave it much thought. When I was young I did a lot of crazy, stupid things and I walked on the edge a lot. I was young heck death couldn’t catch me it only happens to people I don’t know. Now I did worry a little about getting hurt since I have experienced that more than once. But death was just not something I thought I would have to deal with for a long time.

Even when I got older I still took risks I took it for granted that I have life INS. So I knew my wife would be taken care of heck I still have many, many years left and I was going to be fine. It wasn’t until I became a father that reality came crashing down on me. At the very second I saw my daughter open her eyes and look at me (I was the first thing she saw in this world) it was like someone pulled the emergency brake. At that moment I knew that I had a very good reason to chill out for lack of a better word. I also realized that I would never worry more about anything in this world than that little girl. I sold my dirt bike, quit the rodeo, and quit pushing my luck.

 

[Flying Crane]

haha
<br />
good luck <br />
some how you remind me of that sea-cucumber controlling the world <br />
wise decisions!

That's me! an ancient sea cucumber running the whole world! Who wouldda guessed?

 

[Blindside]

My dad was a doctor and he never really hid death from me. My grandfather died when I was 12, but that didn't really impact me, after all he was OLD (actually 67). In my freshman year in high school a kid died in a skiing accident, that struck home. Since then I've accepted death as the end of the road, though I don't want to see it anytime soon. I believe that when its over, its over, things go black, the neurons stop firing, and you are worm food. I figure I've got one shot in this life, I might as well make it a decent one.

Lamont

 

[Cryozombie]

The man who would be a warrior considers it his most basic intention to keep death always in mind, day and night, from the time he first picks up his chopsticks in celebrating his morning meal on New Year's Day to the evening of the last day of the year. When one constantly keeps death in mind... he lives out a long life. In addition, even his character is improved. Such are the many benifits of this act.
-Daidoji Yuzan, Budoshoshinshu: The Warrior's Primer

To me, life and death are opposite sides of the same coin. Ive had enough friends and family die throught my life, that death just is.

 

[terryl965]

I remember first dealing with death when I had a friend that was told he had less than a year to live. I was around 12 that was 35 years ago and today me and him joke about that day. Every body gonna die we just have to live each day to the fullest and have faith that when that day comes we are will be in front of our maker and he is wearing a Dobook or Gi for us to start training.
Terry