Salute
Death, it’s something you can not run away from. You just have to accept it and prepare your mind for it. But who is ever really ready for death? Most of the time, we are not. Even those who preach and stand at the altar do everything possible to avoid dying. If they had the means to escape it, trust me, they would. LOL.
Every living thing must die. Plants grow, and after some years, they begin to wither, their leaves fall off, and they dry up. Eventually, we use them as firewood, for cooking, or to keep ourselves warm. Animals follow the same path, they are born, they grow, and then they die.
Humans, we are just a higher grade of animals with the gift of reasoning. But this same reasoning has caused us to start questioning, Where do people go after they die?
Over time, different belief systems have made publications explaining what they think happens after death. Honestly, I wish I knew. Sometimes I ask myself if this place called "heaven" really exists, a place with streets of gold. Then why do we spend so much time struggling here instead of finding a shortcut to get there?
Then again, some teachings tell you. You cannot take your own life, because if you do, you will go to a worse place. A place of fire and everlasting torment. So what now?
The whole idea becomes confusing when you try to lay down the facts. Just this afternoon, I found myself at a mortuary. I stood there and watched people cry uncontrollably as they looked at the mortal remains of their family member or friend. It was heartbreaking. The common phrase I kept hearing was:
"He’s gone to a better place."
But where is this place?
Many of the beliefs we hold here in Africa were brought to us from the West. written and printed in books, taught through religion. So now, we are made to believe in the idea of a reunion someday. That we will meet our lost loved ones again in another world. I honestly wish that were true. But deep down, I still doubt it.
To conclude, maybe instead of just hoping to meet again, we should focus more on valuing the living now. If we truly respected and valued every soul while alive, maybe even the wars we see today would stop. Some people are told that dying in battle earns them eternal life in the afterlife. But who wrote that? Who made us believe that? Other living people, not the dead.
No one has come back to confirm what’s beyond death. But still, some will say:
“Better to believe and find nothing, than not believe and regret it later.”
Well, only time will tell.
Thanks
