The Art Of Death Is The Art Of Life
Death Teaches Us to Love
It shouldn’t take death to challenge my way of lives, but the loss of important people teaches me how to love. I lived with a closed heart until I lost my grandmother to cancer at 17. At the end of her life, I couldn’t get over the fear to be with her alone and tell her that I love her. 10 years later, when I lost my uncle, I learned that life is short and I am strong enough to take rejection. I reached out to an ex-best friend whom I hadn’t spoken to in 9 years and patched things up. Today, I have the courage to take a risk in life because I know that I could fall safely with the support from people who matter. I wouldn’t have the kind of relationship I have without going through deaths.
Death Reorders Our Priorities
Society today gives us a common template to measure success regardless of diversity and inclusiveness. As I delved deeper and deeper into spiritual teaching, I realized that all enlightened leaders from the East and the West talked about one common path to happiness — be present. From corporate, coffee to the creative industry, I had a very messy path full of struggles and growth. When my whole life was shaking, I learned to ask an important question: if I have 7 days left in this world, how would I spend it? Who do I want to be with? Where do I want to go? What do I want to say? How do I want to feel? Once I understood that the only thing there is to get from life is the growth that comes from experiencing it, I learned to say ‘thank you’ in all seasons of life.
Death Teaches Us to Serve
When the suicidal death of celebrities shook the world, I finally realized that I wasn’t alone when the thought of not living crossed my mind once. I was hurting even though I had a company at my back, enough money in my bank account, and a rooftop on my head. What makes life meaningful enough to keep on living? When I attended a silent meditation retreat, it struck me that nature serves us without needing anything in return.
‘Go out and help people, life is not hard,’ the voice of our Guru was full of love and compassion. Warm tears streamed down my face at that moment.
Life didn’t Change, We Change
I used to fear death because I thought there’s something I want that’s not experienced yet, and death would take everything away from me. If something will be lost when death comes, is it real? Is it worth pursuing? If I experience this life fully during the time I am given, what can death possibly take away from me?
‘Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live’. — Tuesday with Morrie
I am the creators who turn all the abundance this world has to offer into a beautiful story worth a lifetime. At the end of it, life is joy and celebration, just like how it starts.
