by Jason Stotts
Memento Mori (Latin): “Remember you must die”
While the phrase memento mori may appear to some as a morbid proclamation of the inevitable, I see it differently.
As a human, I am necessarily going to die. It is important to realize that my time is finite, that every moment I have is precious. Memento mori serves to remind me not to waste my time, not to let it slip through my fingers, to never take my life for granted.
I think that far too often people forget the simple fact that they will die. Perhaps, rather, it would be more appropriate to say that they anxiously attempt to evade the knowledge of their own death. For many people, reflecting on the fact that they will die would show how empty their lives really are. It is unfortunately true that most people spend their days trying to keep themselves entertained or sedated. They view thought and purposeful activity as anathema to life. It is, however, the essence of human life!
For me, memento mori serves to help me focus on what is important in life and helps me to cut out the inessential.