Reminder of “Momento Mori”

Hearing or reading “remember that you must die,” probably sounds morbid and fear-mongering, but “Momento Mori,” which has roots in Ancient Rome and with the Stoics, serves to remind us that none of us are immortal and we do not know for sure when our time will come to an end.

This makes many of us uncomfortable, with good reason, but also offers the opportunity to ensure we are making use of our time while here on Earth. We are fortunate that we do not have to worry about being eaten by a predator on any given day, as some of our ancestors had to do, but that does not mean we are invincible in young age.

Reflecting on our impermanence can help guide our actions and the direction we take in life.

Knowing we won’t be around forever does not mean we partake in risky behavior every day, but there’s a middle ground we can find. One where we stay disciplined, but also take calculated risks at times or do something different than normal because we recognize our bodies do not survive forever.

Marcus Aurelius, one of the most well-known Stoics, writes in Meditations, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”

While I do not want to think about mortality all the time, taking time to contemplate this fact on occasion can motivate me to do what matters most.

Living by Values

Where do people find meaning in life? Religion offers a lot of guidance to many, but more and more people identify as atheists. I think most of us feel, maybe sporadically at times, that there is a deeper meaning to our existence, even those who have no religion. Many just don’t agree with worshipping a deity we don’t have scientific evidence to see.

I do believe in God and the bigger picture, but I think humans try too hard to explain much of what we don’t know. I am okay with accepting the mystery in life, but believe there is more to us beyond what we are aware of .

Now, whether someone believes in a higher power or not, we must be able to agree as humans on some basic expectations. This is why we have laws. You can’t harm someone for no reason and not expect consequences.

As a counselor and also as an individual outside of my profession, I see the importance of identifying what we value and working hard to make sure our actions align with those values.

When we do not take time to reflect on how we are leading our lives, we may feel a little lost or like we are on auto-pilot all the time.

Pinpointing what we care about can help us plan what we do with our time, such as matching our career choice to our values, prioritizing our health and relationships, and more.

I often think of my values, which happen to tie to Buddhism and Christianity. I feel connected to both religions and look to Buddha and Jesus for guidance on ideal ways to live life with meaning. Loving our neighbor, doing no harm, acting for the better good, and purifying our mind and heart.

Life can be hard in many ways and looking to our values can help us know we are on a positive path, accepting that we are not perfect beings.