The alternatives of death

Have you ever thought about the alternatives of death? As I was reading Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels earlier today, I got to the part where Gulliver is in the Kingdom of Luggnagg and learns that every once in a while there are people born with a spot above their left eyebrow, indicating that they are immortal. Think of it. Would you like to be born immortal? I don’t think there is anyone who actually embraces death, but have you ever allowed yourself to consider the alternative? Provided that his health is good, that his social and financial situation is just a notch above average and that he has a happy life in general, man doesn’t want to shake off his mortal coil and say goodbye to everything and everyone who has helped him become the person he is. And that’s only normal and natural, I know, but just take a second to consider the opposite. Would you like to walk around knowing that you can take that same walk again tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or in 10578 years? What’s the point in living if we don’t have a specific goal to work towards? How can anyone possibly be meant to lead a meaningful and accomplished life when there is no ‘dead’-line to make? You can put things off until no matter when, you will be there to do them anyway. Really, there seems so little point in being here, if you know you’ll be here for ever (and take a minute to reflect what ‘for ever’ actually means.) Imagine all the changes your environment goes through; compare it, if you will, with your own grandparents having to handle the internet or mobile phones, but then 100 times worse.

I think part of the reason why we have been capable of making progress in any field of science and learning is the fact that man has this uncontrollable need to prove himself, to leave a mark, to check off his ‘to do’-list before he leaves his earthly dwelling, to contribute to the lives of others, to ‘make a difference’. So, take away the appointment with death none of us is going to escape and what have you got left? A life, stretching out before you like a sea that never ends. And as incredible as sea trips can be, I am quite convinced that you don’t want to be on the water for ever. Even the most luxurious ships eventually – and luckily – come to shore. Water tends to frighten, tends to overwhelm by its depth and mystery; a life without an end must have about the same effect. Once you realise that you’re not going to be around for ever, you automatically want to make the most of it, you become active and productive because you know that you are in the prime of your life and that you won’t get a second chance to do it all over again. Even if it’s only calling a friend you haven’t seen in a long time, or finally finishing that project you started years ago, once you are aware of the shortness of life you become more dynamic. And this doesn’t mean that you are ever going to be ready or willing to leave all your accomplishments behind and swap your spot on earth for a less attractive spot under the earth; that means that you had a good and full life. And of course death impacts those who stay behind more than those who are taken away, but really what’s the point in living if there is no target to aim at. The sorry thing is obviously that none of us knows when that cut-off date is supposed to arrive. It could be tomorrow, it could be in half a century. And if you’re terribly optimistic, which I cannot deny myself to be, you could even say that the arbitrariness of death, pushes us to make the most out of EACH day and not only the days that we feel like making the most out of. I had never thought about the matter in this way, but I have to say that I am almost happy with the thought that I am mortal. I have a goal in my life, we all have a goal in our lives and that in itself should be enough to lead a challenging, yet interesting life. Of course I am not saying that I am going to start dancing around at people’s funeral because they have ‘reached their goal’, that would obviously be terribly indecent. And I know I will be absolutely devastated to lose a loved one but, still I think I prefer dying some day (and let’s hope not one of the following days, my ‘to do’ list is far from being checked off.) to staying around forever.

A new day tomorrow, I know what I am going to do and I thoroughly hope you will all experience the satisfying and blissful feeling of aiming for a target and reaching it.

“Aim at the sun and you may not reach it,

But your arrow will fly far higher than if aimed at an object

On a level with yourself” (Unknown)