Epitaph du Jour

Autumn is in the air creating that deathly ambiance that we in the deciduous zone associate with leaves turning a full array of torpid colors.  Gravity exerts her patient horrific force pulling these dead plant appendages in languid spirals to the ground where ancient decomposition processes devour their papery flesh, particularly when our fire breathing, dioxide emitting mulch engines have shred them. Some people actually wallow in gathering these dendrogenous corpses into piles and revel in leaping upon and rolling amidst their crunchy, crumbling bodies.

Chiseling With Abandon!

Appropriately, Halloween approaches where we dare to laugh Death in the face by exposing ourselves to terroriffic simulations, role-playing the undead, and generally embracing numerous acts that celebrate the macabre with an open toothy smile.

Morbid satire aside, I wonder whether our subconscious minds thrill at the darker phases of the natural cycle for the same reason a toddler enjoys the tickling of uncles and aunts.  Perhaps, our minds yearn for variable stimulation to thrive, and were we to actually attain that idyllic permanent vacation with the pleasures of massages, poolside relaxation and infinite food access, we would likely become the potatoes of the sedentary variety that would simply rot our minds and bodies from inside out.

Might we turn this fascination with the shadow side of live into a mindful exercise.  Imagining our own death is perhaps the most morbid, self-facing act there is.  Certainly, mulling over the details of how our bodies might suffer along the way to death through to decomposition surely is unsettling.

A practical person might simply focus upon the details of disposal and funeral ceremony to reduce those concerns for friends and family.  Further, might considering ones prospective eulogy and epitaph inspire us to write our life story with deeper meaning?  Imagine if each morning once we've broken through the cobwebs to momentarily exclaim "Wow, I'm still alive! Now what am I going to do today to make what may be my last day of existence amazing!"