Have you ever thought about being immortal?
Anyone who works in the health sector is striving to prolong our lives through innovation in handling ageing. The ultimate objective is to make sure that we can live as long as possible until old age brings us back to the dirt. But, that brings the bigger question, if it is possible to be immortal, will you?
Death has been defined very differently in different cultures. The common conception about death is when the body and brain function is stopped. What happens after it depends on which culture are you involved with. It could be heaven/hell, reincarnation, turning into a spirit, or other stuff. But you can only die once and that means the only things to achieve immortality is by avoiding the death itself.
However, Mexican tradition sees this very differently. It is possible to be dead and immortal at the same time. That’s because, for them, you will experience three kinds of death that are celebrated through Los Dias de Los Muertos (the Days of the Dead)
First comes biological death. Eventually, the organs, the brain, and the body give out. There's nothing you can do. This is how you experience the first death.
Then comes the funeral and the lowering of the deceased into the ground. People dig a hole, place the casket, and fill up the hole so that no one can see the dead. The space the deceased should occupy is empty, the people they should be around are now alone. That is the second death in Mexico.
The third… is a special kind. Monumental and insignificant. The third death in Mexico happens when no one’s left around to remember us. No more candles, memorial mass, or visits to the grave. Nothing remains. That is the third death, in Mexico.
This brings us back to the point of immortality.
The third death sounds like a sad death. But the fact is, within 50 years after that, or when your grandchildren die, there will be almost no one to remember you.
In that regard, we see a lot of people chasing this type of immortality. That’s why some people are obsessed with leaving their mark on the world. It can be achieved by naming your predecessor by your name, naming your own company as your name, or creating something that will be remembered. There will be a lot of ways where people can remember who you are, and you will achieve your own immortality.
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