To Embrace Death is to Embrace Life

"He who would teach men to die would teach them to live." ~ Michel de Montaigne

My wife's father died two days ago (rest in peace Captain Chris).

Obviously, my highest priority this week (and every other week) is my wife and family; but I will now say in brief that I will be writing more in the coming weeks about the significance of death as it relates to life.  I may also inject some of my father-in-law's spirit and life philosophies in coming posts (I would lovingly, respectfully, and admiringly describe him, in just a few words, as a hermit-philosopher who relished the simple life; a modern-day Thoreau).

"Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human." ~ Viktor Frankl

I believe, like Viktor Frankl did, that life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning. 

Meaning and purpose in one's life is given more clarity in relation to the proximity to death.  In other words, if you can embrace (and have a healthy relationship with) death, you will be enabled to embrace life and all its meaning and purpose as it relates to your own existence.  This is the foundation of existential philosophy and the foundation of this blog as it relates to money and life.

"...So give as much care to the end as to the beginning: Then there will be no failure." ~ Lau Tzu

To provide financial context, financial planning is best delivered as life planning; and life planning begins by thinking of death.  What do you want to accomplish during your life?  What do you want people (friends, family, co-workers) to say about you at your funeral?  How do you want to be remembered?  Life planning  is a kind of "bottom-up" approach to planning: Begin with the end in mind.  Once the purpose of one's life is clarified, the purpose of one's money may be subsequently clarified.

Those are some of themes we will touch upon in the coming weeks.  For a primer (and for some good lessons on the significance of death) please read the "Related" posts below...

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Related:

Dying to Live

On Mortality, Money & Meaning

In Honor of a Modern-Day Thoreau

Quotes on Worry, Fear, Anxiety & Suffering

Comments

[Thanks]

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important thing I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, because almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." (Steve Jobs - 2005)

RIP Captain Chris

[Kent @ The Financial Philosopher]

Thanks:

I really like that quote from Steve Jobs. He really has evolved into a humble person with an outstanding perspective on life and its meaning and purpose for him.

Thanks for sharing and for your well-wishes for my father-in-law, Chris.

By the way, Chris loved the sea and was a ship captain for a few years of his life. He called me "Captain Kent" and I called him "Captain Chris."

Thanks again...

Kent