Philosophy
Carpe diem. Seize the day. People always say to live your life as if this day is your last. Enjoy the moment, because you don't know if you're getting another one.
That sounds good in theory, but it's not very practical.
What you would end up with is a lot of people quitting their jobs and running through the streets. They'd spend lots of time with loved ones (hopefully) and probably break several laws. A speeding ticket doesn't carry a lot of weight when death is imminent, after all.
Yet, regardless of the path they chose, for most (if not all) of them the clock would strike midnight. And guess what- no anti-Cinderalla would appear and turn them into pumpkins, or still their beating hearts. They'd wake up the next morning, with hangovers, no jobs, and a horrible driving record.
Perhaps the old saying has a different meaning- perhaps when we shuffle off this mortal coil we're meant to look back on our lives with pride. To know that everyday, we lived. Perhaps we didn't climb Mount Everest or win the Nobel Peace Prize, but we squeezed the little bits of glory and nobility from the hard rocks that litter this world, refusing to let our somewhat sordid surroundings define our existence.
Perhaps the saying is meant to infer that every day we live should be a measure of our lives, and our characters. In a way that, if someone were to pick a day- like a card- from the deck of our experiences, they'd more often than not find something decent and good. The husband or wife who selflessly supports their family. The waiter or waitress who always offers a smile, even when they don't feel like it. The underpaid security guard whose sense of duty and honor outweighs his compensation. Little things that don't seem to mean much at first glance, but upon closer inspection mean the whole world, at least to someone at some point in their lives.
That said, what would you do if you knew you had a year left to live? A month? A day? An hour? Five minutes?
The answer to that question is interesting, but immaterial. If the act is authentic, it will merely be a reflection of the life you've already lived. If it is forced, it is a hollow ending to a hollow life.
Each person has their own standard, and each person subconsciously measures their hypothetical response against that standard. One man's "nobility" is another man's "morality," which is another man's "hindrance." I shall not be the judge of that. However, if that standard radically changes in the face of death, it is no standard at all. The atheist who dies an atheist has at least lived according to a standard, regardless of the eventual outcome. His belief system was stronger than death. For this reason the Christians gave their lives in early Rome- the same strong belief system propels American volunteer soldiers to die around the world, as well as suicide bombers.
To summarize: it is paramount in human existence to develop a set of beliefs one is willing to represent, and eventually die with when the final day arrives.
The mass majority of the people on this earth (perhaps myself included) are merely wearing borrowed clothes. We hope to jump into our fitted tuxedo moments before the big celebration.
Problem is, it's usually a surprise party.
That sounds good in theory, but it's not very practical.
What you would end up with is a lot of people quitting their jobs and running through the streets. They'd spend lots of time with loved ones (hopefully) and probably break several laws. A speeding ticket doesn't carry a lot of weight when death is imminent, after all.
Yet, regardless of the path they chose, for most (if not all) of them the clock would strike midnight. And guess what- no anti-Cinderalla would appear and turn them into pumpkins, or still their beating hearts. They'd wake up the next morning, with hangovers, no jobs, and a horrible driving record.
Perhaps the old saying has a different meaning- perhaps when we shuffle off this mortal coil we're meant to look back on our lives with pride. To know that everyday, we lived. Perhaps we didn't climb Mount Everest or win the Nobel Peace Prize, but we squeezed the little bits of glory and nobility from the hard rocks that litter this world, refusing to let our somewhat sordid surroundings define our existence.
Perhaps the saying is meant to infer that every day we live should be a measure of our lives, and our characters. In a way that, if someone were to pick a day- like a card- from the deck of our experiences, they'd more often than not find something decent and good. The husband or wife who selflessly supports their family. The waiter or waitress who always offers a smile, even when they don't feel like it. The underpaid security guard whose sense of duty and honor outweighs his compensation. Little things that don't seem to mean much at first glance, but upon closer inspection mean the whole world, at least to someone at some point in their lives.
That said, what would you do if you knew you had a year left to live? A month? A day? An hour? Five minutes?
The answer to that question is interesting, but immaterial. If the act is authentic, it will merely be a reflection of the life you've already lived. If it is forced, it is a hollow ending to a hollow life.
Each person has their own standard, and each person subconsciously measures their hypothetical response against that standard. One man's "nobility" is another man's "morality," which is another man's "hindrance." I shall not be the judge of that. However, if that standard radically changes in the face of death, it is no standard at all. The atheist who dies an atheist has at least lived according to a standard, regardless of the eventual outcome. His belief system was stronger than death. For this reason the Christians gave their lives in early Rome- the same strong belief system propels American volunteer soldiers to die around the world, as well as suicide bombers.
To summarize: it is paramount in human existence to develop a set of beliefs one is willing to represent, and eventually die with when the final day arrives.
The mass majority of the people on this earth (perhaps myself included) are merely wearing borrowed clothes. We hope to jump into our fitted tuxedo moments before the big celebration.
Problem is, it's usually a surprise party.
