Fear is an interesting phenomenon. The most extreme is the Chicken Little sort wherein the person is virtually afraid of his own shadow.
“Chicken Little liked to walk in the woods. She liked to look at the trees. She liked to smell the flowers. She liked to listen to the birds singing.
One day while she was walking an acorn fell from a tree, and hit the top of her little head.
– My, oh, my, the sky is falling. I must run and tell the lion about it, – said Chicken Little and began to run.
She ran and ran. By and by she met the hen.
– Where are you going? – asked the hen.
– Oh, Henny Penny, the sky is falling and I am going to the lion to tell him about it.
– How do you know it? – asked Henny Penny.
– It hit me on the head, so I know it must be so, – said Chicken Little.” (1)
And so it goes: Most people, however, do not experience this extreme. They nurture a “low-intensity fear” that colors most of their life. What is the nexus of this malady? The Epicureans (2) for one would say that it is the fear of death. “For Epicurus, eliminating the fear of death, central to living a happy life, can be achieved through a correct understanding of death. Epicurus’ main argument against this fear is the ‘no subject of harm’ argument. If death is bad it has to be bad for somebody.
But death cannot be bad for the living, since they are alive, nor for the dead, since they don’t exist. ‘When we exist, death is not yet present, and when death is present, then we do not exist.’ Since death affects neither the dead nor the living, there is no need to fear it. ‘Death, therefore … is nothing to us.’ (It must be kept in mind that Epicurus is talking about death, not dying. Dying can be experienced, death cannot.)” (3)
For a certain type of individual, life’s focus becomes the point that they depart this reality; they never get over their own mortality. These include people who believe they transcend to a form of infinity – depending on their faith or religion – while others are convinced, they will be totally expunged, in reality leaving no reason to have been here at all.
I personally am one who opts for the former as opposed to the latter for obvious reasons. That said, I am not overly concerned interested in rebirth or moral judgment. I must live a good life and leave the rest to God to decide. But, I would like to at least think that my DNA can help build a magnificent tree – much like the bodies of decaying salmon give birth to new life.
I want to have value. I think it is the same for all of us. My life is supposed to matter, to have a purpose. The rather strange truth is that each and every life has merit and has a mission. But, in spite of this truth, many fail to understand that the purpose “of” life is to find your purpose “to” life – your individual mission. Many people state that they don’t know their motive for living. (4) This can only be achieved by an effort that focuses on this discovery. One of the most basic tools is the notebook. It is often claimed that “life is short.” For those living a dynamic and interesting life, this is pure nonsense. The only way to document your life, in spite of this, is to write about it each and every day. You will see a pattern of living – your living – emerge over a period of time and the things you enjoy and adhere to will also be presented.
For instance, I enjoy speaking with people and sharing ideas. This eventually led to the field of education. Inside this discipline, I developed the idea that our society is causing itself untold problems because it is simply not thinking enough. This, therefore, became my life mission: the ongoing discussion of critical thinking and how it relates to time. This realization removed my fear of death. I am now afraid of life because there is so much exciting work to do. The great poet and philosopher, Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), leaves us with a thought: For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun? And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.
A closing thought: We must all get onto this process of living. One of the most pernicious tools that has been invented in recent history is the cell phone, which is married to the Internet. Much like a real-life marriage this union is not necessarily a bad thing. But, when the bond is not appreciated and taken for granted only evil can result. Have a shrouded look at what people usually do on their phones. Most play games and look at nonsensical data – the Kim Kardashian (5) syndrome. Very little time is spent in the acquisition or pursuit of knowledge or the viewing of beauty in the form of art or nature. This is having the effect of “dumbing down” (6) the population: all when the world is becoming more complex thus requiring much more analysis. Our worldwide lack of leadership can only be a net result of this phenomenon.
To sum up: This week, we spoke about fear and how it can be overcome.
To be noted: from Dennis Waitley (b.1933) — Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.
Just for fun: Ben Shapiro, 12, Plays “Schindler’s List”
For reflection: The Charlie Kirk Show: Nine Doctors Speak Out.
This week on your meditative walk, please reflect on your own mortality and how you will come to peace with it.
Every day look for something magical and beautiful
Quote: Life is for living, experiencing and growing — not for dying.
Footnotes:
1) The Sky Is Falling! Maybe! “Henny Penny” or “Chicken Little”
2) Epicureanism
3) Immortality and the Fear of Death
4) Why It’s Hard To Find Your “Life Purpose” In Today’s World
6) dumb down