Forge a friendship with Death

Choosing to make Death our friend blesses us in our present life

“How does it feel to be mortal?”

Death: To some, a despairing thought. To some, glorified hope and to some, a devotion.

Death takes you to God and it takes you away from Him. Death comforts yet crosses the line towards grief.

To see lives vaporize in thin air, losing our loved ones in a blink of an eye and at times, a tragic end that traumatizes us to our core. Death comes unexpectedly and appears oddly before any mere mortal.

Ironically, it makes us aware of our breathing cycle, knowing how imminent our time on earth is. When the time comes for our souls to be reaped, regret, grief, sorrow and agony would barge into a sentient heart.

Not to forget, the common religiosity for fascination of heaven, hell and purgatory that wouldn’t help with the processes of facing death in the face.

No wonder humanity is obsessed with immortality and longevity. No wonder humanity is seeking cures to chronic diseases and ways to extend a lifespan by aeons and no wonder, the world rhetoric has welcomed ways to live life to the fullest.

No wonder in the past, humanity ventured into superstitions via necromancy, spiritualism, mediumship and various forms of divination which gave them nothing but anguish. Ironically, we pray for the dead when the dead have passed from this world.

At the hour of death, none could process the mortality of any given sentient being. What if this whole time, we have a wrong outlook of death?

Mirza Husayn Ali, known to many Baha’is as the Baha’u’llah (Glorious Scent of God), spent his years in despair under persecution and oppression and in that moment, reflected upon death and whether death could be something wonderful or joyous to anticipate rather than to grieve upon.

He pondered in his writings:-

“Death proffereth unto every confident believer the cup that is life indeed. It bestoweth joy, and is the bearer of gladness. It conferreth the gift of everlasting life.”

(Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 345)

Somewhat, it tallies with the words of Paul, the Apostle of Christ in the Christian Bible:-

“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

(2 Corinthians 5:6-8)

The beginning of death is at the first breath of our existence. Each and every breath is the nearness of death to our flesh. Such is the closeness of death that no matter how far we deny death and seek immortality through scientific and esoteric means, death will always be present to welcome us in the life after.

If we take death in a positive light, we will notice that death is a good friend to any sentient being. Death teaches us to appreciate every part of our lives and also, it teaches us to become a better soul for others and for ourselves. Death is a good teacher that teaches us the meaning of life and its purposes, something that is missing in our world today because of vanity and self-indulgences.

So, how does it feel to be mortal? For me, it feels like I’m called to seize every part of my days with meaningful things. I couldn’t afford to waste my days with vanity and self-indulgences. I seek to be of good counsel and be the light to people around me.

In my inhalation, I welcome life at its fullness. In my exhalation, I welcome the hour of my death to be with my Creator who is benevolent, merciful, just, gracious, wise, faithful and loving – to be anticipated at heavenly gates to see His nearness with clarity.

Now, it’s time for you to reflect. As you breathe and be aware of how short your life is, how does it feel to be a mortal?

Blessings,
Ez Jalin