One of the great tragedies of modern culture is death denial. The advertising industry tells us that we are forever young. Death is a topic as taboo as sex was in the Victorian era.
Yet engaging with death is one of the best ways we know to seize the day: it helps us recognise that life is short and the clock is ticking. If you’ve got 3 minutes up your sleeve, have a read of my new ‘click essay’ Dancing With Death, where I explore the issue.
The click essay, based on my new book Carpe Diem Regained: The Vanishing Art of Seizing the Day, is a new digital format for exploring philosophical ideas. Try it out!
And if you’re in London, I’d love to invite you to a book talk I’m doing on Tuesday 2nd May in Brick Lane for the London Talks @ Night series.
I wrote about the three times I have come close to dying. The last time when I had cancer I experienced a great disassociation, acceptance and peace. The story is on my blog. After a successful operation and chemo and now 5 years on I am clear. However part of me will always be in touch with the “me” that came close to death.I feel prepared to go anytime.
For me dying is no big deal I have enjoyed my time here and have few regrets and few desires. I feel I am in a bonus state but know this won’t last so I seize each day as another day of wonder and the Great Dance goes on. Death where is thy sting? Oh been there done that. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing those thoughts about your ‘bonus state’. May the Great Dance continue. Roman