Embracing death

Every death is my death. I believe death is our greatest teacher, our best friend. It grants us the freedom to live the life we truly want, liberating us from the need to please others. It gives us a sense of direction, pushing us toward our chief goal. The most beautiful thing about death is its unpredictability—it can come at any moment.

If a person constantly remembers their mortality, they live more happily and purposefully. When we accept that our time on this earth is limited, why wouldn’t we embrace each moment with joy? Why waste our lives doing things that don’t bring us fulfillment? The real problem in today’s world is that we see our greatest blessing—impermanence—as a curse. We resist the reality that we are here only for a brief time, yet that very truth is what makes life meaningful. We are not here to live for the expectations of others; we are here to create our own happiness.

Steve Jobs once said in his famous Harvard speech, “When I think about death, my old pride, expectations, and fear of failure disappear.” That insight is profound. If we examine our lives, we see that much of our suffering revolves around pride—pride in our achievements, our status, our identity. But in the face of death, none of it truly matters. Human life is fragile; it can end at any moment. We may think we are powerful, but in reality, we are utterly dependent—on air for our breath, on breath for our existence, and on existence for everything we build. So what, then, is there to be proud of?

Fear is another major force controlling our lives. Many people are too afraid to pursue the careers they truly desire, so they settle for “safe” professions in which they die a little every day. Others fear rejection, so they never express their true feelings, living with unspoken words and unlived experiences. But when you deeply understand that whether you succeed or fail, you will ultimately die, you gain the courage to take risks. It is far better to fail at something you love than to succeed at something that makes you miserable.

Death is not just a distant event—it is an exercise, a daily experience. Every day, we should meditate on death and ask ourselves:

If today were my last day, would I do what I’m about to do?

Would I say what I’m about to say?

Would I act as I’m about to act?

When you live with these questions, your daily choices become clearer. You stop wasting time on things that don’t matter, and you begin leading a life that is fulfilling—not just for yourself, but for the world.

Death is not our enemy; it is our greatest reminder to live.