The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity.

The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity. – Seneca

Everything has a season. Eventually, we will reach the Autumn of our lives. How will we handle what follows? While we might not get much warning, preparation can help.

What does that mean?
While it isn’t stated explicitly, this quote is almost certainly about death, and the transition to what might come after it. While there is still great debate about what came before and what will happen after, we readily acknowledge our birthday into this world as an independent human being.

I believe that this quote is about the other end of this lifetime, and how we treat it differently. It says we usually treat it with fear, and most likely dread. However, it continues to say that we could also consider it to be the first day of whatever comes after.

Please note that neither the quote nor I believe that one should be in any rush to take their place at death’s door. That said, neither should we be overly afraid of it either. All that is born will die, it is nature’s way.

Even if we have no proof of any continuity after this life, such a belief can help put the mind of a dying person at ease, and provide some comfort for those left behind, and neither of those are bad things, at least in my opinion.

Why is facing death bravely and with dignity important?  
Another way to word this question is to ask what good would it do you to face it in any other manner? What will you gain by complaining about the unfairness of it? How will it make your life longer or more pleasant? And how will your actions impact those around you?

And to me, that is an important point. What if your actions, how you face the end, have a negative impact on others? What then? Is that the way you want to be remembered, as the crazy person who made everyone around them feel uncomfortable? That’s not much of a legacy, is it?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my last act in this life to cause anyone pain or suffering. There’s enough of that going around, no need to add any more, right? So I would rather be the calm, peaceful, dignified person, bravely facing the end.

I would still put every effort into delaying the inevitable as long as possible, but to all things there is a time. I know how I want to face it, but who knows if my resolve will hold until the bitter end. One thing is certain, eventually, I will find out.

Where can I apply this in my life?
For this section, I’d like to broaden the topic to include any disappointment, challenge, or obstacle, up to and including our own death. If practice makes us better, it might be useful to work on our bravery and dignity in lesser situations first, before facing the big one, right?

How do you react to the lesser things in life? Do you comport yourself bravely or with dignity when you don’t get your way, or do you sulk? Worse yet, do you try to throw your weight around or even stoop to throwing a tantrum? That wouldn’t be very dignified, would it?

When the going gets tough, do you tend to be brave, or do you try to escape by any means necessary? How you handle these lesser issues will form a habit, to your credit or detriment. What you are used to doing with the lesser things, you will find easiest to do with the tougher things, right?

Think back through your recent past and consider how you have reacted to different situations. How often did you react with bravery and dignity, and how often did you react in a manner not quite up to that standard? What in particular brought out the less desirable reactions?

Most of us can handle some types of difficulty better than other types. If we know what our weaknesses are, we can try to find a way to better prepare ourselves, right? With that in mind, what do you think you need to work on in order to become a stronger person?

In what situations will you need to find a little more bravery or dignity? More importantly, how will you change your pattern, your habit, in these situations? What can you change in your beliefs, in your attitudes, in your approach to these situations in order to improve?

Once you have an idea as to what you can do differently, the next thing is to test yourself. You can either use normal every day events, or you can try to create specific situations, designed to push you and test your new methods. Even role-playing can be of some help, like actors walking through a play.

Experience helps. Properly repeating a response is even better. Finding a way to respond to the disappointments, challenges, or obstacles in life with bravery and dignity is certainly not a bad thing. Build up the strength you will need at the end.

What are you going to do to prepare for your final birthday?

From: Twitter, @philo_quotes
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/luciusanna104795.html
Photo by sybarite48