Death is inevitable and to think otherwise is to live against one’s instincts
[...] With our American focus on youth, and our medical system regarding death as some sort of “enemy” to be defeated, we do not regard death as either an “art” or something one might try to do “well.” Given the profound materialism of our culture, with its stress on the tangible, the body, and the physical plane, few people indeed give much thought to death, other than to shudder at the prospect.
But Carl Jung was much wiser than contemporary American culture. He recognized that death is inevitable and to think otherwise is to live in denial. More than just denial, it means [...] living against one’s instincts. Rather than ignore or try to deny death, Jung suggests we view it as a goal—the destination of the journey of the second half of life. Just as we gather our things and pack for a trip, so we need to make preparations for our journey into death.
Your example
- Go and see the roses again. You will understand that yours is unique in the world. You will return to ...
Happiness consists in frequent repetition of pleasure.
I wish you endless dreams and the furious desire to make some of them come true.
I wish you to love what you need to love and forget what you need to forget.
I wish you passions, I wish you silences. I wish you bird songs on waking up and children's laughter.
I wish you to respect the differences of others, because the merit and value of each one is often to be discovered. I wish you to resist the bogging down, the indifference and the negative virtues of our times.
Finally, I wish you never to give up research, adventure, life, love, because life is a magnificent adventure and no reasonable person should give it up without fighting a hard battle.
Above all, I wish you to be you, proud and happy, because happiness is our true destiny.
- 1968 -
