Memento Mori - Don't Be A Wage Slave

Now and then, it is important to pause and reflect on life — my life. It is a long and potentially wonderful existence, yet still finite. It has a beginning, and it will have an end. It is imperative, then, that we truly grasp that each and every day possesses power and significance because it will never come again. Every day is unique. Today is a special day.

That said, some days naturally possess more memories than others. On one of these particular days, I will be finishing school, finding my first job, meeting Mr. or Mrs. Right, marrying, or beginning a family. My own sons, in fact, became engaged on just such a day. These are memorable and notable moments, yet they are still days like any other. The ordinary day also deserves respect.

With the rise of the Internet Age, (1) however, we have slowly lost the ability to value the common day for its uniqueness. Social media, by its very definition, is a massified force — a thoughtless juggernaut of information that often requires little to no thought or analysis. The secret to managing such a force is reflection itself. But how do I step back and reflect before I engage with the day?

The Internet has subtly suggested a strange sense of immortality. In my everyday life, enshrouded within my own private consciousness, I naturally feel as though I will live forever because I exist entirely within myself. Yet, I must continually remind myself of my finitude. This reality will end.

To be alive is, of course, something extraordinary. It is worth noting that Jesus Christ did not immediately return to Heaven after His time of Resurrection (2) but remained on Earth for forty days. Even He sought to remain present in an earthly existence for a period of time. We must thus recognize that our presence on Earth is truly remarkable and sacred.

How, accordingly, do we heighten this experience without indulging in a negative or fatalistic obsession with death? First, we must truly begin to grasp time. This is much easier said than done.

When we go to a beach and grasp a handful of sand, most of the grains quickly slip through our fingers and fall back onto the shore. However, if we cup both hands together carefully and deliberately, we retain far more sand. Time is much the same. I must therefore act deliberately each and every day.

This begins in the morning with writing in my notebook. I record the day and the date, and reflect upon the moments before me. I outline my immediate plans and ask myself how these plans fit into my larger vision for life.

I once had a friend who would go to a park, lie on her stomach, and study the contents of the ground — the grass, the ants, the centipedes, and every other small form of life. There is wisdom in this. When you commence your day, promise yourself that you will feel the wind upon your face, notice the smell of the air, hear the birds calling in the distance, and listen carefully to the sounds of life itself. This day is the only reality I truly possess. The past is a convoluted memory, and the future is often an anxiety-written illusion. I exist in the now. In this way, the concept of Memento Mori may finally be honestly and fully understood. The great Stoic, Marcus Aurelius, (3) leaves us with a thought: You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do, say, and think.

A closing thought: When we think of life, an ancient question quickly arises: Who is happier — a pig in mud or Socrates unhappy? (4) The most immediate answer is to say that the pig is happier because it gains satisfaction from what it enjoys. Yet the correct answer is that Socrates is happier because he understands what true happiness is and can consciously seek it.

There is perhaps a certain arrogance in this claim. Yet history has repeatedly demonstrated that when a society ceases to think critically, the consequences become catastrophic. The destructive wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries stand as testaments to this truth.

The realization that I am alive — me, this singular and conscious being — must fill me with gratitude. I wish to enjoy the days that I have been given. I do not want to waste my life employed in a tedious, empty job, nor throw it away in some nonsensical military conflict that does nothing to advance humanity’s development.

If we begin to value each day as distinct and sacred, we may eventually find ourselves embraced by the arms of time itself. Within that embrace lies peace, contentment, and perhaps even an understanding of our role on Earth and the beyond.

To sum up: This week, we spoke about the concept of transcendence.

To be noted: From Mahatma Gandhi (5) — Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Jicke7p5A&list=OLAK5uy_mH7DQAsuKdHhMmYZoyJLdy3T55hIJUZCY

For reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfZRVIO32bM

This week, on your gratitude-filled walk, ask yourself what my life means to me.

Every day, look for something magical and beautiful.

Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!