It's good to reflect on death. It puts one's life into perspective. In this day and age, it's easy to lose ourselves in the day to day, living life on auto just to get by, chasing after that next pay check so we can pay the endless stream of bills. It's easy to be swamped with housework, kids, work, social commitments, keeping up with the Joneses. Like hamsters in their little exercise wheels, sometimes it feels like we're running so fast, working so hard, we're not even clear as to where we are headed or what the purpose is.
It's also far too easy to lose sight of what's really important in life. Having lots of 'stuff' in our lives can be a blessing or a curse. Possessions mean responsibilities. Houses, cars, fancy gadgets, equal taxes, insurance, maintenance costs, updates and upgrades. It's easy to see the attraction of minimalism. I certainly have reached this point. Stuff and possessions will only serve us to the extent that we appreciate them. The same goes for wealth and health. Mindless spending is a thing of the past (or should be a thing of the past), a foible of youth and immaturity. You reach a point when you have to realise and acknowledge that there is only so many hours in the day for one to spend on all the things one would like to engage in. Reading, writing, painting, craftwork - these all take time. And when you take into account time for 'leisure and entertainment', rest, sleep, eat and tidying up after, the remaining free hours just seem to shrink.
It's all common sense, I know. Nevertheless, when you realise and acknowledge that there is an end point in your life, when you no longer have time in your hands to do the things you want to do, it just puts life into sharper perspective. Or at least, it should. So, it doesn't hurt to reflect on death every once in a while.
It's also far too easy to lose sight of what's really important in life. Having lots of 'stuff' in our lives can be a blessing or a curse. Possessions mean responsibilities. Houses, cars, fancy gadgets, equal taxes, insurance, maintenance costs, updates and upgrades. It's easy to see the attraction of minimalism. I certainly have reached this point. Stuff and possessions will only serve us to the extent that we appreciate them. The same goes for wealth and health. Mindless spending is a thing of the past (or should be a thing of the past), a foible of youth and immaturity. You reach a point when you have to realise and acknowledge that there is only so many hours in the day for one to spend on all the things one would like to engage in. Reading, writing, painting, craftwork - these all take time. And when you take into account time for 'leisure and entertainment', rest, sleep, eat and tidying up after, the remaining free hours just seem to shrink.
It's all common sense, I know. Nevertheless, when you realise and acknowledge that there is an end point in your life, when you no longer have time in your hands to do the things you want to do, it just puts life into sharper perspective. Or at least, it should. So, it doesn't hurt to reflect on death every once in a while.
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