Why You Should Fear Inertia and Not Death

Research works have it that the word death is one of the two most feared words in the world. Many people get immobilized by the mentioning of the word. Others would get sad and somber for some period before returning to their normal state. Yet death, the common weal of man -- rich, poor, children, and adult, is inevitable. We’re reminded time and again about the brevity nature of life by a brash against death either personal or by a significant other. We become worked out that we give up living for death to lay its icy, genteel-ruthless hand on us. We then give up trying and confine our many dreams into a limited space because of this experience. Later things begin to cave in on us. And then we decry our degenerating state. Now that is a normal experience of people who experience death in many forms.

On Friday, I attended a funeral of a colleague who’d lost his fifteen years old boy who was involved in a motor accident on his way to church. Other sources had it that, the boy was trying to save the life of a little girl only to have that trade-off on his life. The funeral was modest but impactful. It drew personalities from education and religious fields. Children and adults were hugely in attendance. It didn’t take the shape of the jamboree-like funeral we’re accustomed to organizing these days.

Leaders of some groups the boy was involved in gave their partying messages –- religious and social. His colleagues from school walked up to demonstrate how they would miss his absence. It was touching and teary. The deceased mother was held under control by three women –- stronger, to avoid a scene. A woman close to me was producing all by herself a fountain of tears –- calling the boy to give her money, bless her and insure a better life for her. A female pupil of the deceased took the stage to sing a partying song only to burst uncontrollably into tears till she was whisked away. The pastor’s preaching was uncharacteristically short and timely. It was as though he were conscious of time. His message was incisive and knifing – cutting the very core of our beliefs. He touched on the belief in this part of our world that has it that every death was caused by somebody. His words drew nods from all gathered as they bounced from his mouth to our ears. I sat there sober and somber thinking about the many lost lives that were blamed on people; the brief but well-lived life of this boy now lying in front of me muted by death; and the many people whose lives would be changed by the absence of this boy. He was described as a prophet, lawyer and judge by many people whose lives were lit up by the presence of this boy. Though he’d a brief stay here, his impacts will ripple into eternity.

Life here is brief but you can do much more with the gifts inside of you. We’ve equally been endowed richly by the Chief Architect of the universe – God, to do great exploits. However, many go through this life still unprepared to live the kind of life designed for them by their creator. They horribly wait unprepared for the better opportunity to come to them. A friend once told me that, opportunity is a haughty groom who’s got no time for the unprepared bride.

Longfellow, the renowned poet wrote, ‘The great tragedy of the average man is that he goes to his grave with his music still in him’. How are you living your life? Is it one of a purpose? Or expectation of an opportunity? Remember: we all have a destiny to keep. ‘God don’t make no junk’ of you. Imagine your funeral where people were given the opportunity to touch briefly on your life. What would they say of you? Good? Bad? Or compromise? You can decide what they should say by writing it on a paper and running your life by them while alive. Live with a purpose. You’ve not got all day here.

Xerxes wept on the day he decided to review his army. Artabanus, his uncle asked him what drew him into tears. “I was thinking and it came into my mind how pitifully short human life is – for of all these thousands of men not one will be alive in a hundred years’ time” he replied. “Yet there are sadder things in life even than that” Artabanus reminded him. You’re also reminded. Live. Work. D--.