If only I knew ahead! Nope. I am not talking about the climax of the latest summer blockbuster hitting the big screen but having the knowledge of when life has to end. Imagine, what would living life be like if we knew in advance the date when we have to face the reality of death? If we have the idea of when our last few hours will be, would we plan our burial in advance and start to mourn before our actual demise? Would we be more prepared and organized or more scared and pressured? Would be happy to accept our end or would we try to find ways to escape it?
The thought of putting an end date to our individual existence is difficult to comprehend. We would be reduced to nothing but to a mere commodity level, in the same cycle as in for a manufactured drug or bottled water or canned goods. Our birth certificates would come with a stamped expiry dates. All our actions, dealings and commitments will be measured and vindicated by our so-called “expiry dates”. The choice to go to school, what course to take, the age to start a family, the places to visit, resources to spend and just about everything that we need to say and do.
You will probably face a dilemma of who to marry between a gorgeous wealthy man who has a few years to live or struggling peasant who will stays besides you ‘till your last breath. You will probably have a hard time looking for the perfect job as companies may think twice in hiring someone who they knew they’ll have to pay early retirement or death benefits. If you go to the bank and apply for a loan, the bank will probably deny your application if they knew right away that you won’t have enough time to pay them back.
Living life and knowing it has duration is even harder to comprehend. We will all have our daily routines planned in advance, every steps and even every emotions, when to feel happy, when to feel sorry, when to feel sad. Carefully, we will select the best choices to make the best out of our limited stay. Freedom, as well as free will is compromised. One mistake or failure to meet some expectations can jeopardize our other plans and eventually our idea of a fruitful life will be ruined. Hope and faith is eliminated. Human character is dictated by self serving attitudes. We will bring our focus on making our individual lives before the “expiry dates” as worthwhile as possible.
What goes beyond our “expiry dates” is even more haunting and worrisome. After all that we have invested in life and making lasting bonds with friends and families, what happens to the memories that we are going to leave behind? Will they be erased just as our body is buries six feet under? Will we be remembered, will we be missed or will they recall us as just another old greeting card or a date in the past?
We can never find true happiness if knew our end. Each passing day will be a gram of sadness added in anticipation of our date of expiry. Life would revolve around our perfect plans making sure that everything is met and done before the deadline. There would be a billion islands as each will be preoccupied minding his own life span. Humanity will be lost. We will be guided not by faith, but by our own life designs.
The thought of putting an end date to our individual existence is difficult to comprehend. We would be reduced to nothing but to a mere commodity level, in the same cycle as in for a manufactured drug or bottled water or canned goods. Our birth certificates would come with a stamped expiry dates. All our actions, dealings and commitments will be measured and vindicated by our so-called “expiry dates”. The choice to go to school, what course to take, the age to start a family, the places to visit, resources to spend and just about everything that we need to say and do.
You will probably face a dilemma of who to marry between a gorgeous wealthy man who has a few years to live or struggling peasant who will stays besides you ‘till your last breath. You will probably have a hard time looking for the perfect job as companies may think twice in hiring someone who they knew they’ll have to pay early retirement or death benefits. If you go to the bank and apply for a loan, the bank will probably deny your application if they knew right away that you won’t have enough time to pay them back.
Living life and knowing it has duration is even harder to comprehend. We will all have our daily routines planned in advance, every steps and even every emotions, when to feel happy, when to feel sorry, when to feel sad. Carefully, we will select the best choices to make the best out of our limited stay. Freedom, as well as free will is compromised. One mistake or failure to meet some expectations can jeopardize our other plans and eventually our idea of a fruitful life will be ruined. Hope and faith is eliminated. Human character is dictated by self serving attitudes. We will bring our focus on making our individual lives before the “expiry dates” as worthwhile as possible.
What goes beyond our “expiry dates” is even more haunting and worrisome. After all that we have invested in life and making lasting bonds with friends and families, what happens to the memories that we are going to leave behind? Will they be erased just as our body is buries six feet under? Will we be remembered, will we be missed or will they recall us as just another old greeting card or a date in the past?
We can never find true happiness if knew our end. Each passing day will be a gram of sadness added in anticipation of our date of expiry. Life would revolve around our perfect plans making sure that everything is met and done before the deadline. There would be a billion islands as each will be preoccupied minding his own life span. Humanity will be lost. We will be guided not by faith, but by our own life designs.
if we live today like it's our last, we need not worry what will happen tomorrow for we did what we had to do and we are happy with it.
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