http://www.care2.com/greenliving/when-death-knocks.html
When Death Knocks
Death isn’t about what I possess but about what I can become. Today I see myself as a child of time, but I may become a child of eternity. I see my place here on Earth, but I may be on a journey to the universe. Human beings have a deep intuition that our destiny is infinite, but we fear death because it tests our wishes and dreams.
We fear to be tested because if we turn out to be wrong, then all our aspirations feel empty. Dying isn’t more real than any other moment, but it is more definitive. No matter how rich and gifted you are, death is the great equalizer.
For the after life to have meaning, it has to be fully as satisfying as this life. Bringing money, power, sex, family, achievement, and physical pleasure to an end is not a trivial thing. Much that we love and depend on will be extinguished when this life comes to an end. And yet we can bring something to that moment.
Grace, calm, a patient acceptance of what’s to come: These are all qualities that can be cultivated, and when they are, death is a test we will not fail. Our fault is not that we fear death but that we don’t respect it as a miracle.
The most profound subjects–love, truth, compassion, birth and death–are equal. They belong to our destiny but also to our present life. Ultimately the goal here is to bring death into the present and thereby make it equal to love.
Adapted from Life After Death: The Burden of Proof, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2006).
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27 comments
add your comment »LEAVE MY PEN-PAL STEPHEN LANG ALONE PEOPLE!!!!NOW I REALLY MEAN IT!!!!! AND EMBRACING DEATH IS STILL THE ABSOLUTE DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD IN ALL MY LIFE!!!! NOTHING IS GOING TO CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE SO DON'T WASTE YOU'RE TIME WITH ME!!!! GET A LIFE EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!
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When I go to a strange place, a home, a business or whatever and I walk thru a door - I often do not know what is on the other side. I am not afraid to walk thru that door - I walk thru it. I know not what lies on the other side of death, so why should I fear death. Oh yes, there is talk of Heaven & Hell, there is talk of the after life, there is talk of coming back and back and back again until you get it right...whatever that means. What happens after you get it right?!? As a person who is 52, living in an Assisted Living Facility because I am ternimally ill, I no longer fear death. I feared the process of dying, that long drawn out process of pain & suffering and yes, I live in pain - alot of pain, but I have made my amends to my friends & my family, I have learned the value of each new day, of each gift of breath, to cherish the small things, to make no enemies, to try to make a mark in life if I can and that is something that I wasn't concerned about before I knew that I was dying. I live life more to it's fullest today than I ever did before and that's a lesson that dying has taught me. I cherish my friends more, I laugh more, I cry more, I live more... and that's something that even death cannot take away. In my arrangements I have made it clear that my funeral will be one of a celebration and I will be donating any organs to save lives that can be donated as well and my body then donated to Science. But we will celebrate and someone else will too!
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Remember the Terry Schivo Case???Well it made Me EXTREMELY UPSET and I CRIED about it quite a lot!!ESPECIALLY when I heard that She Died!! I CRIED non-stop for 6 HOURS after I heard that She Died!!
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"the exact quote i do not recall but the dalai lama said death need not be thought of as sad, but rather, more as a matter of changing clothes. . . : ) indigoviolet"
Right on! We never fear death, we charge full force into the next realm as if we cannot wait to see what's next and what we can learn. You are important and wise. Thank you.
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Well if You embrace Death.than You must really HATE LIFE!!! I feel Sorry for anyone that embraces Death!
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Well if You embrace Death than You must really HATE LIFE!!!! I feel Sorry for ANYONE that embraces Death!!
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I have no fear of death. When it comes I will embrace it.
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I think that EVERYONE should have a nice Healthy Fear of Death!
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Life is a Sacred Gift and should Damn-Well be TREATED as such!!!!
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It's GOOD to have a nice Healthy fear of Death People!! It makes Peoplr realize how Preacious LIFE IS!! Anyone Who doese NOT Fear Death is just being IGNORANT!!!!
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