Death

Death is an inevitable event in life whose imminent coming we choose to ignore. To die is natural and ought to be regarded as normal but sadly our reaction to it is unnatural.

While there is a number of sentiments about death, non is totally satisfying. However death and life are intertwined. They co-exist although life seems so ephemeral when compared with death its counterpart since its endless or has no known time lag. Life has a span
unlike death, we can say for a every living thing that there is time that can't be exceeded for example no human has lived for over 200 years but we can't say a human will be dead for 300 years or 1000 years and raise again.
With that all noted, still the worst unwelcome fact that every one lives with is  that one day you and i will be no more, the difference is just the time, day and cause but each of us will eventually succumb to death.
There is no scientist, spiritualist and no traditionalist that will and has ever solved the riddle of death and no one has ever conquered the phenomenon. We all live by it, we had better come to terms with the seemingly ugly fact and perhaps recieve it with open arms.
So many theories, stories and myths sarround this phenomenon but still seems to be nothing convincing and comforting to aid us in taking in the sad truth.
Otherwise, why would the good Christian fear death, knowing that heaven was on the other side?
Why would the atheist grieve, when he is of the view that our timespan on this earth is nothing but an ephemeral and irrelevant speck of dust?
For those that believe in the theory of reincarnation, why would we be affected so deeply and why would we grieve so if we knew we were coming back?
That must tell you how death is not something we are readily going to ever accept and take in.
Our approach to death is not just hypocritical but also just does not make sense.

Death has humbled so many, some have chosen to live like there day is not about to or perhaps will never come. However like it or hate it, it's just a matter of time when you and I will be no more. No one knows the exact day and time but soon or later, it's bound to happen.

According to scientists, when we die our bodies under go 4 stages namely, Pallor mortis, algor mortis, Rigor mortis and finally livor mortis.
I won't bore you with the nitty gritties of those stages, That aside, in the event of our demise, the lucky ones are mourned in all sorts of ways, burial is held for those who subscribe to the belief in burial, those that believe in cremation are burnt to flames and their bodies go up in smoke.
Those that are buried are subject to the 4th stage of death livor mortis which involves active decay and sooner than later their bodies be no more after decomposition.

Often time when we loose our loved ones, Emotions boil over, and all the things we wished we had said rise to the surface of our thoughts. In that moment we rarely consider that perhaps such grief is never for those who have died but entirely ours due to the the fact that we held back expressing how we truly felt while the person was alive.
It is our grief, knowing that such a relationship was not lived in the fullness that was offered by such constellation.
We are thereafter only left in pictures, models or statues if you are lucky and in memories of our loved ones and those whose lives we touched. The lucky ones will be hyperbolically eulogised. For example when famous people who may be strangers to us pass over, the media cajoles us into expressing our condolences, flags are sometimes lowered at half-mast all in a bid to suggest that death is an ultimate tragedy. Well it could be if you believe that life is nothing but a summation of our physical years. Sadly, non of that will change the fact that you will be long gone for eternity. It is only those that are religious that will have hope to ever get life again but scientists incline that death is the very end of you and the only trail you leave behind is your DNA for those that have children during their life time.

All of this distracts us from the fact that there is a greater tragedy than death, and that is the tragedy of the way we choose to live.
Death humbles each of us that no matter what, in the end we shall be no more so it's up to you and i to set what to be remembered about, what impact we shall leave behind or what record or trail to leave behind in the event of our demise.
Some of us fight the good fight, and others momentarily rise to glory on the back of their achievements but for the most part, even such glory is ephemeral. Nothing is really satisfying especially if our achievements do not stack up by comparison, we live quietly destitute that our life is not what we imagined it could be, Jealousy consumes those who do not achieve the great heights of their dreams and yet those who get there are consumed by the emptiness of their achievements.
While all that is in play, The clock is ticking and each minute, every second and micro-second gets you closer to the D-day. I personally think We should learn to appreciate more, love more, spend more time pondering on the magnificence of our living, have the courage to express in tenderness and stop needing to prove who was right and who was wrong but rather make every moment count because every minute that clocks is gone forever, it can never be rewound. Even as you read or listen to this, the clock is ticking and it will never pause at any cost.
It is beautiful how we live everyday without having to consider each of these facts, we make plans for a future we literally are not assured of or have no control over at all and even some times  make projections, procrastinations, and postpone activities and events in our lives but still all under speculation and anticipation. The religious ones atleast invoke God with a saying "Insha Allah" for the Muslims which literally means God willing after every future plan and pronouncements which emphasises absolute uncertainty.
Surely, Life is such a beautiful phenomenon. Live while you can, enjoy when you can for the future is not guaranteed. Who knows how tomorrow shall be? We all live on speculations atleast but in reality there is no assurance.
Be kind to your self first and be kind to everyone when ever you can irrespective of nothing at all, the world needs more of that. Be reminded to live life.
Let anxiousness and busyness not consume us as life goes by so that we never have to cry when another close to us passes over like we never got to  know them at depth. The clock is ticking. Live for death is at the door step.