Midnight Odyssey

“Memento Mori” – Remember, you must die.

I don’t know the inner workings of other’s thoughts; however, I expect I think about death more than most. 

Not in a suicidal or depressive way, quite the opposite.

It is quite common to hear phrases such as death brings meaning to life. 

For only in the realisation that our time on this spinning rock in the middle of space is finite, do we realise the value in everyday experiences. 

In the small things and the big. From enjoying your Friday, post work Neck Oil, to the appreciation of a long and meaningful career.

Consider, why do so many individuals start raising awareness and millions of pounds for terminal diseases after they have been given terminal news for that exact disease?

The value of their precious time left then becomes blindingly obvious to them. This provides clarity.

This is the beauty and curse of life. Only when life is finite do we value it enough to act. 

In the 2004 adaptation of the Iliad, Achilles (Brad Pitt) tells Helena of Troy (Rose Byrne) “The Gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment may be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed.” The film is 6/10 at best, but that quote is TT.

In the same way, a Mayfly, the animal with the shortest life span, lives a literal life time in a day. Imagine how much it enjoys that day. (If it was conscious of its own mortality, which I doubt).

But, consider, how much you would appreciate that morning espresso it was to be your first and only one?

So, life-utility and lifetime appear to generally be in an inverse relationship.

The utility and enjoyment one obtains from an experience or moment in life is relative to how long they have lived and expect to live. How many times prior they have had that experience, and how many times they expect to have it again.

To combat the attrition of utility from the experience’s life blesses us with, both big and small, we must remind ourselves of death. That one day we will die.

For all you know your next shag, strawberry, beer, fifa game, may be your last…

How much more would you appreciate it if you knew it was your last?

Memento mori – Remember, you must die. A phrase believed to originate from ancient Rome, and subsequently utilised by numerous society’s, cultures and philosophies, perfectly summarises this idea.

Keep death, and the fact that you will die, in your thoughts often, to preserve the value and utility of life.

Memento Mori.

The inspiration for this piece came an hour ago when going through security at Edinburgh airport. 

As I packed my tray of my belongings post X Ray, an elderly man behind me let out a morbid shriek.

All turned as he fell to the floor supported by the nearest people. As his eyes rolled back in to his head and his body spammed, my heart went out to him and his family. Despite this my mind went to two words; Memento Mori.

Of course I did not linger, I gathered my belongings and continued, with it being none of my business and medics instantly at the scene.

While I pray the gentleman made a full recovered, my observations suggest otherwise.

Internally, my mind was steaming, over and over, Memento Mori! Memento Mori!

In my mind, this poor pensioner’s incident had reminded me of what should be at the forefront…

Memento Mori – Remember, you must die.  You will die, so live a life before you do!