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Dying to Live (The Forgotten Art of Being)
A sad truth
The first time I came across this poem, it made complete sense. It’s the “default” cycle of life. It doesn’t reflect your “whole” life, but it speaks of a universal truth: we force ourselves into specific states of life and end there. We get pushed into patterns early in life.
It reads:
“First I was dying to finish high school and start college.
And then I was dying to finish college and start working.
And then I was dying to marry and have children.
And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough for school so I could return to work.
And then I was dying to retire.
And now, I am dying…and suddenly I realize I forgot to live.” — Anonymous
Life is lost by “categorization.”
It’s incredibly sad how we move through time without seizing time. There’s so much of it and so little of it for what matters.
Categorization kills the freedom to live.
Life becomes linear — one track, one speed, no detours. But life isn’t linear. What happened to the pauses, surprises, and stillness? What have we done with awe, wonder and curiosity? If I only move forward, I miss all of that.
