DIE EMPTY
A ship in harbor is safe; but that is not what ships are built for." -John A. Shedd
A ship in harbor is safe; but that is not what ships are built for." -John A. Shedd
Death.
What a word.
It is defined as “the act of dying”, “the end of life”, or
more medically, “ the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions
of an organism”.
What a word. It fills us up with dread. Scary. Unimaginable.
Unthinkable. It is pungent. It hangs up in the air like a dark, ominous cloud,
ready to engulf us in its total blackness, and stillness, and its nothingness.
The end of life. The end of an era.
The bereaved are engulfed in an abyss of the wheels of
grief, asking questions whose answers, no human knows, in indescribable pain
that racks the entire mind, body and soul, sometimes numbing, and without
warning, crashes over you like a tidal wave. Sobs rent the air without the
ability to offer any consolation.
This is how I understand physical death. Death of body.
Yet, as sure as we were born alive, the other sure thing is
we shall die. Someday. Nobody knows the day nor the hour, but to each and every
one of us, it shall happen.
What about death of mind, death of soul, death of spirit?
I ask, until the day comes, why do we operate as if we
already died, and only wait for our physical death to catch up with our mind,
soul and spirit? What has us so dead inside, so hopeless, so downtrodden, so
despaired, such that sometimes, physical cessation of our existence would serve
as a relief?
Let us reflect deeply, truly and honestly. This life is beautiful. We
wake up, the sun shines, and in the end of the day, the sun goes down and moon
takes up its shift to illuminate for us in the dead of the night. And the cycle
continues.
Horrors abound too. Hunger, poverty, illness, calamity,
disaster, disempowerment, among other obstacles all serve to dim the sun, in a
way that we do not feel its rays on our face.
Each of us who get to wake up each day, has a purpose laid
out for them to fulfill in this universe.
Each one of us has a talent. A gift.
Something they are good at. Something that fulfills their spirit, and nourishes
their soul. Something good. Something that gives them joy, and hope in equal
measure.
Eliminate all the hurdles that stand between you, and your
true north, the purpose for which you feel your existence is based on. Try.
Start to try. Shake the fear off.
Do it, and do it now. Do not procrastinate. Do not second
guess yourself. Do not over analyze. Take a deep breath and jump in. do not
flinch. Lift your arms and start swimming as hard as you can. Get as much help
as you need along the way. The journey is for all of us.
Cut the cord from
anyone or anything holding you back from achieving your true purpose, without
fear, or favour. You owe yourself your truth, and speak it clearly, and
respectfully, but shoot straight.
Be strong. You shall overcome.
Smile. Laugh. Travel. Eat. Drink. Love. Dance. Kiss. Run.
Exercise. Meditate. Cry. Journal. Swim. Hike. Drive. Sing. Plan. Organize.
Strategize. Perform. Mobilize. Evaluate. Repeat.
Do this each time you get a chance. Be intentional in
creating time for yourself. You can only give what you have. Be kind to somebody else. Offer help. Be there. Be present.
Give vanity a wide berth. Chasing the wind is of no use.
This way, you will be living, and your life will be full of
life.
Finally, when we die, we shall have lived.
#DWM
#DWM