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I didn’t expect this theme to carry all the way into Saturday, but it’s one that’s intrigued me since about the age of four and I just couldn’t resist sharing this gospel tune, Born to Die, by the Dixie Hummingbirds sums up a lot…

Born to die, then be reborn.

Though death doesn’t wipe the slate entirely clean, rebirth does grant us a new face. A chance to start fresh, with no shame or blame, no fixed thoughts.

Contemplating death, not only do we “relieve fear, encourage ourselves to live with proper values, and lets ourselves to die a good death with fortitude and calm,” we also eventually find ourselves pointing at some aspect of our life, be it past, present, or future (but hopefully in the present!).

Here are a few quotes I came across to exemplify this;

“Everything is changeable, everything appears and disappears; there is no blissful peace until one passes beyond the agony of life and death.”

“Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”

“On life’s journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.”

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

-Buddha

“Normally we do not like to think about death.

We would rather think about life.

Why reflect on death?

When you start preparing for death you soon realize

that you must look into your life now… and come to face the truth of your self.

Death is like a mirror in which the true meaning of life is reflected.”

-Sogyal Rinpoche

Death is one of two things… Either it is annihilation, and the dead have no consciousness of anything; or, as we are told, it is really a change: a migration of the soul from one place to another.

-Socrates

As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.

-Leonardo DaVinci

Die happily and look forward to taking up a new and better form. Like the sun, only when you set in the west can you rise in the east.

-Jelaluddin Rumi

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.

-Mark Twain

My religion is to live and die without regret.

-Milarepa