#4 The Fear of Death

The Fear Of Death

“Life is uncertain, death is”

          

                    Once life is lunched, like a bullet it must reach its destination, which is death…physically.  All of us have to face this inevitable, natural phenomenon whether we like it or not.  The sooner this truth is accepted, the better we will be able to direct our lives for a good purpose.    

            Our life-span is controlled by our biological clocks which are continuously ticking away. When they run out, sooner or later, there is little we can do to gain extra time.  Once our time is up, we must be prepared to go through the natural process of death.

            All human beings, irrespective of sex, or race, creed, will have to come to terms with death. There is no alternative escape. Death is an inevitable process of this world. It is not often that we are brave enough to come face to face with the thought of our own mortality. Yet, man is not free in life unless he is also free from the fear of death.

            It is hard to bear the loss of people whom we love because of our attachment to them. When we develop attachment, we also must be prepared to pay the price of sorrow when separation takes place. Those who have hundred things beloved, they have hundred sorrows.  He who has nothing beloved, has no sorrow.  Such persons are free from sorrow. However, it is hard t live without people you loved, for that reason, we should bear the days of love, and the days of the sorrow.

            The love of life can sometimes develop a morbid fear of death.  We will not take any risks even for rightful cause.  We live in fear that illness r accident will put an end to our seemingly precious permanent worldly life.  Realizing that death is certainty, we hope and pray for the coming of our soul in heaven, in the future.   According to psychological studies, mush mental stress is cause by our refusal to face facts and accept life’s realities.   This stress, if not overcome can eventually lead to grave physical illness.  Certainty worry and despair over illness will make it worse.  We cannot pick or choose the kind of illness we desire, nor can we choose the sustainable or auspicious time to die.   But we can certainly choose to face illness and death without fear.

            People are frightened of dead bodies, but in the true sense of living are in fact far more dangerous than dead bodies. Dead bodies do not harm us, but the living are capable of doing enormous harm and could even resort to murder.  So  is it a foolish belief for people to be afraid or frightened of dead bodies?  Unless, dead bodies carries a disease that is contagious, we must consider to avoid and stay away from that. 

            There are many ways to interpret this simple and natural occurrence called “death”.  Some believe that means the complete dissolution of being without hereafter; Some others believe in transmigration of a soul from one body to another; and to others it means indefinite suspension of the soul, waiting for the day of judgment; some believe that death is nothing more than temporary end of this transient phenomenon.  It is not the end of this so-called ‘being’.

            Each and every individual should be aware of the role of death in his or her destiny.  Whether royalty or commoner, rich or poor, strong or weak, a man’s final resting place within this life is either in a coffin lying buried six feet underground or in an urn strewn over the sea.

            Everyone hopes and desires to have a peaceful death after having fulfilled his lifetime duties and obligations. But how many have actually prepared themselves for such an eventuality?   How many for instance have taken the trouble to fulfill their obligations to their families, loved ones, friends, country, religion and their own destiny?  It will be difficult  for them to die peacefully if they have not fulfilled any of these obligations.      

            It is important to realize that we are born to this world to do some service for the weal and help the mankind.   A man’s body will turn to dust, but influence and services remain. This can be seen in the tangible achievements of the exemplary works of great men which still remain with us today, helping to shape our way of life even though they are no more living among us.  In sense, we could regard them as still being with us as a testimony of their valuable services rendered to mankind.

            When people see their own lives as being only a drop in an ever-flowing river, they will be moved to contribute their little part to the great stream of life.  The wise know intuitively that to live, they have to work for their liberation by avoiding evil, doing good and purifying their mind.

            It is rather paradoxical that although we so often see death taking toll of lives, we seldom pause to reflect that we too can soon be similar victims of death.  With our innate strong attachment to live, we are disinclined to carry with us morbid thought, although a reality, that death is a certainty. We prefer to put this awful thought as far away phenomenon, not to be courageous enough to face facts.  We must be prepared to face reality. Death is factual happening. Death is reality

            All the works of men had done and on the labor in which they had toiled; And indeed all was in vain and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun and all was nonsense. I found no men that  is not fear to die, only men that is ready to face the death because of: nothing should be fear for the reason of nothing was left to him, everything he loved was gone. Humans are fear on death(s); on the process of death, on being forgotten, on leaving behind what he loves, on fearing on the future after death or in hell, and on fear of unknown, knowing nothing after death.

                “To everything (there)  is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck (what)  is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.”

UPDATED: 10:03 2 June 2020

Author: PHILIP BUTCHERO