Death: The Roommate of Life - More To That

As complicated as it may seem, there are only two editors of this document.

There seems to be no proper way to bridge the emotional gap between a loved one’s existence and a loved one’s death. Even families that are fully aware of when their loved one will pass still cannot prepare themselves for when it actually happens.

This constant addition and subtraction of experiences can keep us mindful that we are in a continual state of fluidity. There is no set list of qualities that define who we are, so there is no reason to panic if you feel a shift occurring.

(2) Self-identity is impermanent, so embrace the changes as they come. Nothing is immune to Death’s eraser, so there is no point in desperately holding onto some illusory version of yourself. Loosening the grip you have on your identity can lessen the fear and anxiety that typically accompany the winds of change.

Death’s sole responsibility as an editor is to remove the items that Life has written down that are no longer applicable or possible. You can think of Life as the additive editor, and Death as the subtractive one.

We all live multiple lives in one, and our sense of self continuously dies in the process. So when you feel some fundamental changes occurring within you (i.e. feeling disconnected from certain friends, being discontent with a job you’ve historically enjoyed, questioning your faith, etc.), don’t be too afraid.

Much of the choices we make on a daily basis are an effort to keep Life focused on growing our list and to keep Death from doing any work at all.

And when it comes to Death, the thing we fear most is that he will undo all the progress that Life has made in one fell swoop.

We tend to think of death as a life-eliminating event rather than a life-editing process. Instead of thinking of it as a subtractive tool necessary for growth, we believe it to be a definitive event that ends everything.