This tool does not require a lot of words. Yet do not consider the brevity of this post an indication that it is not that important. Other than attitude, it is the most important one of all. To show no awareness of what it means is to throw away a most precious gift:
Time.
I’ve read a number of books by a YouTube podcaster, Ryan Holiday. He writes and speaks about a 2000-year-old philosophy called Stoicism. And that ancient philosophy couldn’t be more relevant for extracting meaning in every moment, today.
People often hear the word “stoic” and mistake it for taking on the world with no emotions and a hard, outer shell. It is the opposite. In some ways, it mirrors many teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and many other ancient paths to wisdom. It is about living as fully as possible in the present moment; about knowing what is in your power to do or control and doing it without procrastination. And it is also about knowing what you can’t control, and letting that go.
But most of all, its most valuable message can be summed up in two Latin words, two words that say it all:
Memento mori…Remember, you will die.
The bottom line is – we are all going to die. We have no idea when. We have no control over how. The only thing we have control over is how we use the time we have RIGHT NOW.
So if there was one absolutely vital tool I use every day. It is the awareness that I don’t know how much time I have left on this earth.
For all the times in my youth that I considered suicide, I have somehow been gifted to still be here. And there are things I feel called to do, strongly. So I do not want to waste a moment of my current day. It is a gift. I suspect if I died before I could finish something I thought I was supposed to do in this life, I would not rest easy afterward.
Several years ago, I watched my husband nearly die in front of my eyes. He was only 47, and that he lived was a miracle.
Also, when I started this memoir, it was with an entry about “Why Write Now?” In it I mentioned just how strongly I was affected by the news report that Madonna was so sick she might die. I am only a couple of years older than Madonna. She is my contemporary, and she has always been a force to be reckoned with.
If life almost struck them down, life could choose any one of us the next moment. It was the reminder that the hourglass runs out when it will.
Time, then, is the most valuable commodity, and the one I have no control over. Only how I use it. My wish is to extract every bit of wisdom I can, and give back to life every bit of meaning and care that I can.
So, even when I am so weary that I feel I can’t write another word, yet I also know I WANT and feel compelled to do this, I remind myself:
Memento mori.
Then I take a short break to restore myself, and get back to work with the next tool…
Note:
I am seeking financial support to complete my memoir, work with an editor, and make a visit to my home state for fact-checking. Your help would mean the world to me as I take this step toward healing and giving voice to my journey.
Please like, comment, and share this post to help spread the word. The link for my fundraiser is on GoFundMe. Thank you for your support.
Tags: death, life, memento-mori, memoir, writing
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