Some Thoughts on Death

Broken GlassBefore saying a word, Ajahn Chah, the Thai meditation master, motioned to a glass at his side. “Do you see this glass?” he asked us. “I love this glass. It holds the water admirably. When the sun shines on it, it reflects the light beautifully. When I tap it, it has a lovely ring. Yet for me, this glass is already broken. When the wind knocks it over or my elbow knocks it off the shelf and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ But when I understand that this glass is already broken, every minute with it is precious.”

Almost everything we do is in some way against death.

Being absorbed in an activity is to avoid being conscious of our mortality. Doing those things that make you feel alive is to try to counterbalance the state when one day you will not be alive. Striving to live in the moment is done in fear that the moment will eventually end, and we will no longer have it.

But no matter what we do, one day we will die. One day I will die. So how do I deal with this? Well, nothing alive will be alive forever. Really, to be alive is to die. The 2 are not separate things. If I am alive now, I am life as much as I am death. Death is part of me, and I should not be fearing myself. So instead, I must love my death.

And it clicked.

No longer am I meditating and practicing to be mindful so I can squeeze out every drop of experience in this life before I die. Death is not some spectre on the horizon inevitably drawing closer, even as I try to build a wall against it made of meaningful experiences, deep relationships, developed talents, and treasured objects.

Now I am welcoming death. Death will not happen to me, I will become death.

Looking at my life, now that I have owned my death and accepted it, I am filled with joy. My friends, my family, my life before and after now, all tragedy and elation, all are gifts. I am not wanting, but I am happy to receive. I appreciate every second I exist. And I have nothing but love for everyone.

One day I will die, because that is me.

Now I see the size of my window to this world, everything is clear.

Thoughts from Reddit

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