mortality as chance
“We have been born once and cannot be born a second time; for all eternity we shall no longer exist. But you, although you are not in control of tomorrow, are postponing your happiness. Life is wasted by delaying, and each one of us dies without enjoying leisure.” Epicurus
Luckily we are reminded of our mortality by the news on the TV or by the diagnosis of a rare but aggressive carcinoma that life should not be wasted and the chances of enjoying leisure should not be delayed.
fearing death is often fear of meaninglessness
For some people it is not so much the moment of death that is daunting . Their agony is born of the realization that “at some point all that we are is as if it never was and we are helpless to change that. More than that is knowing the same is true for those we love and worse yet for those died suddenly or tragically. “
Is it possible that the fact that we come from nothingness and then disappear into nothingness makes them feel that this life is meaningless? Some of my clients used to gripe with this issue.
During the coaching session they realize that we are the only persons that can give meaning to our lives by living it to the fullest. “Vivamus dum vivimus” is an old Epicurean advice. It means something like “let’s live our lives to the fullest as long as we are alive”.
If we taste the pleasure of contributing something to the happiness of our children, spouses, friends or community we can feel that our life is not meaningless.
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