live and learn

I overcame every obstacle that’s ever placed
The gods have promised, victory will one day know my face

There is a confluence of ideas in Christian theology and Stoic philosophy, summarized in the Latin phrase, memento mori. It means “remember that you will die”.

Too often, philosophical truths are treated as esoteric, but I believe they should always have practical application. At first glance, the instruction to contemplate your death is morbid and depressing. It could create a sense of futility or even nihilism. But for me, memento mori is a call to action. If our time is finite and our physical presence fleeting, then we are charged to do as much as we can with what little we have. When life is viewed through the lens of our inevitable, impending, and unpredictable death, there isn’t time to do things that don’t matter.