"No man can have a peaceful life who thinks too much about lengthening it, or believes that living through many consulships is a great blessing.
Rehearse this thought every day: that you may be able to depart from life contentedly; for many men clutch and cling to life, even as those who are carried down a rushing stream clutch and cling to briars and sharp rocks.
Most men ebb and flow in wretchedness between the fear of death and the hardships of life; they are unwilling to live, and yet they do not know how to die.
For this reason, make life as a whole agreeable to yourself by banishing all worry about it." (Seneca, Letter 4 "On The Terrors of Death")
Here is one truth concerning death: it arrives.
Unexpectedly for the most part, but death arrives.
And what happens once death arrives? We seem to have an inkling of life, but what of death? If we exhaust our days wasting life (a kind of un-living) then dread and despair should be expected, for no amount of good can ever balance any evil we've committed. Death is both common and unique to everyone, so a kind of unease might be expected--we know about living and have never died before. It's the only thing in life we will ever do on our own.
But must there be terror concerning death?
What if death "passes away"? What if it were possible for death to come and then go, taking all it's terrors with it? Does there exist the chance that death could continue on its way? There does. The sting of death has been removed by one who both died and lived again. Of all the great minds in the world (Seneca included), all remain in their graves, except for One who died thousands of years ago and lives to this day, offering life for any who will have it.
Banish all worry about death and make life agreeable while you yet live.
Just don't waste your life on things that don't matter.
Please.
