Join the Neopoet online poetry workshop and community to improve as a writer, meet fellow poets, and showcase your work. Sign up, submit your poetry, and get started.

WHAT IMPERMANENCE TEACHES US

Had Jesus Chris just recanted what he stood for, he could have escaped death but he didn't. Instead, he accepted death - a death that was violently and viciously thrust upon him.

Joan of Arc at first retracted her claims to the visions she had in exchange for life but later, retracted her retractions and was sent to the stake to be burned.

That is one of the spectrum. On the other end of the spectrum: us. We cower at the very thought of death. We live in denial. The nearest we ever come to acknowledging death is "I know I am going to die" or "Everyone has to die" but this does nothing to conceal our deep rooted fear and antipathy towards death.

The more deeply attached we become to our creature comforts and sensual desire, the more difficult it becomes to prepare ourselves for the inevitable.

It is important that we fully understand and accept our impermanence and practice a bit of frugality and self denial instead of being blinded by our lust for power, money and enjoyment wishing that this would last forever.

The point we seem to be missing is not only impermanence but the uncertainty of life renders amassing wealth far in excess of our need is absolutely futile

We live as though we are never going to die. We are so intoxicated on the power of life that we either do not accept that there is indeed an end or, we refuse to acknowledge it. We settle down for the long haul.

This is comparable to a man, living in rented accommodation. He is so enamored by the amenities and the comforts his accommodation has to offer that he forgets he is living on rent until he is asked to vacate.

We must strike a balance. While it is important that we imbibe everything that life has to offer, we must remember that nothing lasts forever. On this acknowledgement and acceptance hinges our capacity to be happy. Living in denial can give us temporary respite but never happiness. In addition, we will become more human and humane.

When the realisation that we are living on borrowed time dawns on us, we will see the pointlessness of our clinging to our material possessions. This will make us more generous and magnanimous.

Our collective sharing can significantly alleviate world hunger and suffering. What is the point of holding on to more than you can use when, one day - any day - you will be forced to part with it. Since it is not possible to hold on to it, why not share. This would - wouldn't it - be the nobler thing to do?

We are travelers - merely travelers. We should always be ready to get up and move to the next station. The German poet, Novalis, says:

"Where are we going; always home"

If we live in deep awareness of the truth, we will be able to echo

O grave, where is thy victory
O death, where is thy sting

Corinthians 15:55

Moreover, what choice do we have? We either come out, face the truth and come to terms with it or live a lifetime of fearfulness and uncertainty.

Editing stage: 

Comments

You are indeed correct, we can't take it with us but
most people are not stifled with this knowledge.

thank you!

Richard

(c) Neopoet.com. No copyright is claimed by Neopoet to original member content.