Momento - mori

 Momento - mori is a Latin word which roughly translates to - remember you must die !

This is a very quirky opener to my write up! 

In this busy world, more often than not, we are anxious about our future that we forget to enjoy the present. We tend to always look forward to things which we have to achieve but sadly forget about what we have in our hands. While it might be good in terms of development, it sometimes drains us mentally and leads to procrastination and disinterest towards the work we are doing. 

People who have undergone Near Death Experiences or are suffering from terminal illness might be well aware of this.

While “death” is considered as an inauspicious word, the thought that humans are mortal can do wonders psychologically. That’s where the phrase - "Momento - mori" comes to power. We all know that humans are mortal beings. We all come with a definitive expiry date which we may or may not be aware of. 

Certain things that death reminds us are :

1) Gratitude

It teaches us to be grateful for whatever we have in the present and instills a sense of satisfaction in oneself.

2)Ends procrastination 

What if we were given only 24 hours to live? I would complete the silly things which was placed on the procrastination list for a long time. After all we don’t want to be remembered for the things we felt lazy to do, isn’t it?

3) Forgive and forget 

As death constantly reminds humans of our mortal nature, it will teach us to forgive and forget our previous unpleasant experiences in life. It might also urge us to ask for forgiveness for our own mistakes in the past. 

4) Love thyself

After death, the body disintegrates in the soil. This reminds us that external appearances don’t entirely define us. We must love our self for who we are and not get overwhelmed by others negative comments.

5) Be kind

Death will give us the courage to do random acts of kindness which will help some stranger in need. It will make us realise that we were born with nothing and will return back from this world empty handed.

People don’t want to be remembered for their achievements, rather they want to be remembered for their contribution to the world. It’s no surprise that in our science classes, we tend to easily remember the contribution of the scientist but forget the accolade they received for the same !

In the same context, one way to eternally live in the world even after our demise is through “organ donation”. Organ donation is a highly oblivious in the medical field. Most of the public is unaware about organ donation.

Organ donation enables us to live through others and enjoy life even after our own death.

Save a life afterlife...