A letter I wrote to myself from the perspective of someone who is already dead.
Dear Living and Breathing Person
Dear living and breathing person,
I bet you are more blessed than you realize.
I know at times life can be difficult,
Even painful.
But how lucky you are to still be alive,
And to still have choice.
Because no matter how young or old you are,
Or how much you suffer,
That choice is still there.
And it is what makes you alive,
And who you are.
I appreciate these things now,
Only because I no longer have them.
Once you’re dead,
All pain and pleasure is gone.
But worst of all,
All choice is gone as well.
But you,
You’re still alive.
You’re still conscious.
You’re still thinking.
You’re still feeling.
And you’re still deciding and acting.
You still have a chance,
To be an influence on your world,
To change others,
And to do something remarkable with your time.
Time is too precious.
And everyday that passes,
You have the opportunity to decide,
To live well,
To live heroically,
And to be happy.
Live consciously,
And make those decisions.
Now.
Before it is too late.
This is definitely influenced by a bit of Stoicism. Our relationship with death, and how we view it, can play a critical role in how much we live our lives and make the most of it.
During depressing times in my own life, I frequently visited cemeteries to help put my life into perspective and spark a change.
What is your relationship with death? Does it make you appreciate life more?
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