LIVING WITH ‘DEATH’ IN VIEW
Death is often described as the greatest enemy of Man. The fundamental truth is that we are all liable to this ‘sting’ as it were. The sorrowful end to the joyous beginning of an individual is death. If only death can be bought with money, many in the world would have bought it over. This is a natural inclination as man was created with the innate desire for eternity. Death is beyond the reach of humans to control or eliminate. Not even medical science at its best today can proffer an antidote or surgery to overcome death. We are all indebted to it.
Until recent times, death had a more profound impact on me. The news of reported individuals dead, some of whom were very close associates leaves much in my mind to reflect upon. This is the reason we all need to live our present lives with death in view. To better help us appreciate the basis for my theme above, let us examine the foregoing analogy. Imagine a man who ventured into a business he hardly knows about. From information available to him, the business is no doubt very viable and rewarding. Unfortunately, the business failed due to inherent risk associated with the business not carefully examined by the investor. He took time thereafter to reflect on reasons why he failed with such a huge amount invested. “Could I have ignorantly not taken due caution before venturing into the business”? “Were the inherent risks associated with the business considered”? These were some of the questions he kept asking himself. He wished he could change the hands of time, that he could turn things around for the better by doing perfectly what he should have done for a successful business deal. However, all his wishes were best imagined as the business in question failed and he lost all his resources.
Individually, we are in the same ‘shoe’ as the the man illustrated above. We are all born into this world with little or virtually no experience of the world. Though from infancy into our late teens, our folks are responsible for our upbringing academically , socially, morally and so on, while we attain the age of independence, we sojourn through life with little or no parental guidance. Decisions on academic advancement, friends to keep, secular obligation, family life, pleasure and leisure amongst others rest on the shoulders of an individual. Decisions taken on issues as above could turn out good or otherwise for the individual. These are like the risks associated with the business ventured above. Whatever decision we make in life, we should always be conscious not onlyof the end of it, but also how such decision will affect others. Our decisions should be a reflection of our living with death in view!!
Regardless of our skin color, academic achievements, social status, gender, language and other parameters by which we are defined as individual or groups, it is imperative we henceforth as a necessity live our LIVES now with DEATH in view. If this ideology is globally reckoned with, life will be much better for us to live as individuals and as humans. Those at the helm of affairs especially in the sphere of politics will want to leave a legacy after their demise that will be remembered and appreciated by the electorates. Those in other positions of authority with death in view will be motivated to impact positively on their subordinates. Those in service to others or are governed living with death in view, will strive to be the best in there duties.
The man in the illustration above, after failing in the business, there were a lot of things he wished he had done differently. Similarly, many who are dead if given a second opportunity would wish they could make few changes positively before their demise. Hence, we need to individually ask ourselves; WHAT NAME AM I MAKING FOR MYSELF WHILE ALIVE NOW? WHAT WILL I BE REMEMBERED FOR AFTER MY DEMISE? These are salient questions that needs to be considered carefully now In my view, living with death in view should spark in ALL a life of selfless service to Humanity, not the acquisition of wealth and fame. If the history book of life should be opened and names such as, HENRY FORD, MARTIN LUTHER KING, WRIGHT BROTHERS, NELSON MANDELA, KOFFI ANNAN, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO some dead, some alive are read; what will they be remembered for? A common phrase that would describe them would be SERVICE TO HUMANITY.
Personalities above both living and dead were/are conscious of the need to live there lives with death in view, so that when eventually they pass on, their good legacies immortalize them. Such should be the mental attitude we all need to adopt. There will always be a story to tell after our demise. We have a great deal of choice to build a good reputation while alive. That is worth more than riches and fame. LIFE has a beginning and will surely come to an end. May we live our lives always with death in view for a better society.
