DIE EMPTY



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