by Jamesscotthenson | Sep 18, 2016 | Blog
I’ll be attempting a new project starting tomorrow called
Dying Daily. It will consist of short, daily blogs exploring the idea that we
will die someday. They will try to highlight the little things that make life
great, explore what kinds of things we might do differently, look at how to
cultivate gratitude, offer exercises that help bring us into the present moment
because nothing else really exists, and whatever else comes to mind as I do
this. I will still post the longer blogs from time to time as well.
by Jamesscotthenson | Sep 11, 2016 | Blog
I think about death a lot. Not in a guy who likes horror
movies a bit too much or Juggalo rapper type of way, but in a maintaining an
awareness that I will die someday kind of way, and trying to have that inform
how I live my life.
I honestly expect to live to be at least 150 years old
because of the technology we having headed our way, but I also expect to die at
some point. I get that people have various ideas about what happens after
death, and I really don’t want to get into that discussion, but I think that no
matter what we believe we can accept that post-death, things will be different.
What we have right here and right now will never be again, and we are very
fortunate to be here to experience it at all.
It is a very weird thing that there is something instead of
nothing, and even weirder that we think we get to judge or assess this
“something” according to what we like and don’t like. No matter what I am
experiencing right now, at least I am here to experience it. At least it is
“something”. Happiness, sadness, pain, pleasure, it is all being experienced,
and someday it may not be.
This helps me remember that what I say, what I do and where
I put my attention should be intentional. I find that the things I regret the
most in life emerge from my words and actions toward others, so I try to remain
conscious of this. I still say dumb shit all the time, but I try not to.
I try to keep my focus on things that matter, and I have a
sneaking suspicion that I won’t be thinking about my level 92 Skyrim character
or what kind of car I had when I die. I am pretty proud of my Skyrim character
though. It’s a Nord. All dragon armor. Maxed out weapon AND magic stats.
Thousands of potions stockpiled because my alchemy skill is
legit.
Impressed?
Anyway, I try to ask myself what I can do to make the day
worthwhile each morning, and in reviewing the day I ask what I would regret if
I were to die in my sleep. I envision what it would be like to lose Barbara or
Tyler or Max, because they will die someday too. I want to appreciate them
while they are here, even when they are asking something that interferes with
what I want. I am continually struck by just how irrelevant what I want is too.
That’s a whole blog in itself.
I try to ask myself what is worth my time and what is not,
and the answer I come up with over and over is that other people matter. The
more I am able to set aside the things I want in order to give someone else
what they need, the happier I am. The less noise I have in my head when I am
spending time with people, the more I am able to be with them and the more
coherent I feel. The more conscious of the finiteness of my life, the more
every moment matters, and the more I want to use my time to help others find
peace and contentment.
What would you regret if you or someone you loved died
today? What would you do differently if you were viewing all of this from a
point after your death? What kind of Skyrim build would you focus on instead?
These questions matter…
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