Right when you die

[backbreaker]

Okay. I was sitting down getting ready to go to sleep one day. My Grandmom might be living her last days as we speak. I called her and we had a talk, and she was talking about how she was scared to die, etc.. which is understandable.

It got me thinking. We live life so much in today, that one day we wake up and we are 70 and dont' know where life went. Then we spend our golden years trying to survive, most older peolple that I know are miserable, I imagine becuase they know deep down they didn't get what they wanted out of life.

That last half of mintue or so... you know you are about to die. Imagine it. Talk about a moment of truth. You reflect back back on your life.

What are going to be your thoughts to yourself. Are you going to spend the last few seconds scared of what is going to happen? Are you going to cry? Are you going to be happy? Pain Ridden?

What is it going to take for you to fully enjoy, peacefully enjoy, the last few seconds of your life? To say yep, I am conent with my life and I lived it happy.

Then I came to the realzation... all this mundane **** I go though on a constant basis, I am not going to give a damn about then. The women, the cars, clothes, etc. I mean, I like what I have, but it doesn't matter at the end, in the end.

IT's even more of a moment of truth for me because of me being an atheiest, I know it's the end of the road.

Anyway back to my point. I came to the realzation that for me to be trutly content with my life, and die with a smile on my face, I will have to leave some type of long lasting legacy. I need to make an impact on lives that is meaningful.

I am a history buff, and in that regard, I have nothing but the upmost repsect for people who died in like the American Revolution (not as much so for the Civil War), fighting and dieing for their fellow compatriots.


Anyway, what about you guys? What would you have to do in life to have thoose last few seconds of life to be good rather than bad/fearful?

 

[Titanium]

A very interesting topic.

My Grandmom might be living her last days as we speak. I called her and we had a talk, and she was talking about how she was scared to die, etc.. which is understandable.

Just a quick comment on the above…

While its probably very hard for you to hear her say that she’s afraid to die….its very good of you to let her speak of her fears. By just listening to her, you are probably helping her immensely. (Maybe more than you know).

I think everyone is afraid of death, and instinctually so, whether its perceived to be years ahead or only moments away. How we deal with that, and how prepared we are, is an individual thing. Some may come to terms...some never will. The main thing that I really care about at this point in time....is that I don't want to have any / or too many regrets.

As for the rest of your post….a bit off topic, but I can’t help but to be reminded of Achilles in Troy (god, that’s a great movie). He fought in war, and chose the consequence of his own death so that people would remember his name. Nothing else mattered to him.

Yet near the end of the movie, and by the time of his death, his character had shifted and evolved somewhat – perhaps at that point, he would have chosen life and love if he could have, over becoming a legend with death as the pay off.

 

[Bible_Belt]

It's normal to begin being able to understand one's own mortality at about age 23. That is why wars are fought mostly by teenagers. An ex-gf's father was a fighter pilot for England in WW2. He lied about his age and was flying strafing missions over France by age 16. He said that even when the war was looking very bad and they were desperate for pilots, they would not send up fighter pilots who were over age 23. Planes were too valuable to waste on pilots who understood their own mortality.

 

[diplomatic_lies]

When you're dead you feel nothing so it doesn't matter anyway. Dunno why everyone is so afraid of death, unless you're a religous dude who thinks he's going to hell.

 

[Nocturnal]

Who knows what I'm going to care about in 60 years? I don't. I'm not going to spend my life trying to make my last dying breath one of satisfaction, I'm going to spend it enjoying it all the way through. That doesn't mean you shouldn't set goals and work up to them future, but the most important goal is to be happy/fulfilled, and that doesn't happen when you spend 99% of your life trying to make one moment pleasant. If my life were mundane and unfulfilling, I wouldn't decide to change it so that my 80 year old self will look back and be satisfied, I would decide to change it so that my present self can be happy.

I'm not advocating that "live in the moment" garbage, I'm saying that your entire life should be treated as a value, not just the end result.

 

[Deep Dish]

IT's even more of a moment of truth for me because of me being an atheiest, I know it's the end of the road.

I have been an atheist for seven years and it took me the first five years to come to grips with the infamous Death Dilemma. Back when I was into religion, I thought that death was nothing to worry about, it's only a point of transition, but of course transitioning to everlasting life. Once I tossed that whole delusion into the trash can, I once again became petrified of death. But now I can say I'm cool with death. Death really is a moment of transition, but to unconscious nothingness and reuniting whole with the universe...

Last year I had a moment where I genuinely thought, for good reason, I was at my last seconds and was passing out to die. Luckily, it was only passing out from an extremely and almost fatally high fever, but it provided me with a test drill. People have always told me that when atheists are at their last moment, they will beg for more life, but I stuck to my wits and thought; "Oh well, if this is it then this is it;" and felt rather peaceful. I did think how my intentions in life were unfinished, but I reminded myself how the world doesn't owe me anything, it was here first.

 

[rsxtreme]

nice points, made me think a little

 

[SELF-MASTERY]

What would you have to do in life to have thoose last few seconds of life to be good rather than bad/fearful?

I would have to change the world. I'm going to Africa next year to help build a school and a church. A buddy and I are starting a non-profit that helps the elderly pay for healthcare. Since the 10th grade I have been heavy into volunteerism. My goal in life is to change the world on a greater scale; I live the first line of my signature.

Only fools attempt to rationalize death, neither the atheist or theist can be certain of what happens at death and afterward. I'm sure that in certain situations there are people that stare down death without a blink during war or when fighting for a cause, but this is not the case for most people.

Live a Noble life; be the gift:flowers:

 

[backbreaker]

that's exactly where I am at.

Alot of you are missing the point.

I am not afraid to die.

Why should I be afraid of something that have happend to billiions of people, things, etc before me? I'm one in a number. Whatever happens, I won't be the only one to experience it.

However, I dont' think anything can be worse than getting ready to die and know, deep down in your heart, you didnt' do anything with what you had when you had it. Back when you had all the engery in the world, you used it playing video games instead of building a name for yourself.

 

[SELF-MASTERY]

What is stopping you from doing what you feel is necessary???

 

[backbreaker]

time... time.

 

[Titanium]

Back when you had all the engery in the world, you used it playing video games instead of building a name for yourself.

The above is a good example of potential regret...time spent unwisely. (or was it?)

I think that video games and the internet in general are going to effectively accelerate the evolution of introversion.

Down with escapism - keep it real. And substantial.

Until they come out with virtual reality...I'm going to be all over that.

 

[qweretyuiopas]

Back when you had all the engery in the world, you used it playing video games instead of building a name for yourself.

Back when we were kids playing outside, playing games, staying away from girls with cooties (actually I think some still have cooties, we just call them stds now lmao), we were being KIDS. The kid who is out networking or making a name for himself is the one wasting their childhood. "Oh no little timmy cant come out and play he is inside choosing his college major so he can make a name for himself when he grows up. Have fun riding your bikes and dont eat too much at dairy queen". lol
*edit* actually playing outside and playing games as a kid did build a name for yourself. It made you the fun kid who everyone wanted to play with.

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

Every man dies - few men truly live.

 

[Shiftkey]

actually I think some still have cooties, we just call them stds now lmao

lol good one, I'm so going to use that

 

[backbreaker]

Every man dies - few men truly live.

just rolled up my entire post in about one sentence.