The Decay of Life
We are born unto this earth with very little understanding of how things work. Perhaps the beauty of being small within the grandiosity of our world is the naivety, as we are an uncolored page, a blank slate upon which impression has yet to leave its mark. We have some inherent knowledge to function within the world, however as a small child this is ultimately limited to eating, drinking, and gaining our caretakers attention. Gradually we develop more skills with the assistance of others, as the teachers within our lives imbue us with the skills they deem necessary for our continued success within the world. Eventually, we take the learning process into our own hands, determining which skills and traits are the most beneficial to our development. One important element of life is often not taught, and must be experienced first hand in order to start our development of feeling in regards to its nature. The temporary nature of life isn’t profound for most early in life as we remain blissfully unaware of death and the impermanence of our existences.
At some point during the expansion of our scope, we begin to realize that the people around us are growing older, and their evolution and change can be tracked within our own. As we begin to grow older and more aware of our surroundings, we can start to track the progress of those within our scope, observing their slow and gradual progression through the aging process. When we are young, we develop somewhat quickly, going through growth spurts and rapidly developing a sense of self. This perhaps makes us less in tune with the slow process of aging that adults are subject to, but over time we gradually become more aware of the wrinkles, graying hair, and deterioration of the adults within our scope. Ultimately, this awareness leads up to the first time that we actually lose someone within our lives. The first time that we experience loss within our lives, whether it be a friend, family member, or even a pet we perhaps have the epiphany that life does not extend forever into the plane of the future. We begin to have an understanding that we live within a world where all things age and grow, experiencing the gradual processes of life just as we do.
Death is simply a part of life, and all things will eventually cease to exist on this earth. After our first significant loss we begin to understand the finality of life, and often gain perspective on our own. All things within the bounds of this earth are born, develop, and eventually exit the plane of earth. Even the oldest redwood tree has a lifespan that will eventually come to an end. All living things are born unto this world with an expiration date, and will eventually decay back into the earth that we were born from. No matter what good or bad we achieve within this life, eventually we will meet our end. Imbued with this knowledge of the finite existence of life, we must certainly choose the most impactful lifestyles for ourselves, knowing that one day our quests within this earth will come to an end. Death is ultimately the most poignant change that happens within our lives. It terminates our abilities to continue existing within the scope that we have become accustomed to. By living our lives fully and authentically, we can make the most of our existence and not fear the inevitable change that guides the path of all living things.
