Memento Mori, a fine idea to base your life on...

Memento mori is a medieval philosophy which translates to 'Remember that you will die'. It reflects on the vanity of earthly life and transient nature of all earthly goods. It is not an esoteric philosophy, all major religions consider mortality in one form or other. For example, Buddhist principles are based on detachment from material possessions. 

From a practical perspective, memento mori is a philosophy of being prepared all the time and closing all open items in your life as soon as they arise. It could mean reviewing your life on a daily basis and close out all the open items. You try to answer the question, what are the practical implications of mortality. You look at each stakeholder in your life and see if there are any open items. Does your bank and investment accounts have nominees attached? Hare you shared your password with others who will need it? Have you converted your bank accounts to joint accounts in  E or S (either or survivor) mode? Are there any open debts that you have to repay? Have you explained all the important documentation others? For example, when my dad passed away, he did not explain the property documentation to me. Even after four years it remains an open item. Have you digitized your documentation? 

You make a list of all open items and take the necessary steps to close them.

In his article titled 'Why you should pretend today is the end', Mr.Ryan Holiday gives an example of a Bud Day, a US Air Force Pilot,  who lived his life according to memento mori principles. He took the news of his deployment to Vietnam with order and discipline. He visited his father’s grave and made things right with his old man. In less than a week, he found a new home for his wife, a school for his young son, took them shopping and applied for the family’s first credit card. He put together a briefcase with their marriage license, his birth certificate, insurance policies, bank account numbers, even a list of the pallbearers he’d like at his funeral. He and his wife sat down and had a conversation about all the contingencies that might happen while he was gone, including what it would mean to go MIA. What happens if that happens she asked him? For this one, there was only one option—to pray for him.

This is memento mori in a nutshell.

Taking steps on physical items is easy. Not so with emotional ones. Have you  hurt someone and forgotten to apologize? Have you got some benefits from someone and forgotten to say thank you? Have you forgotten to say I love you to people you care about. These are difficult tasks to handle.

Do that now. Close open items now.

Always remember Memento Mori.

Live your life as if you’re not sure whether your time on this earth is ending or not. Get your shit together. Handle what’s important. Take care of others. Enjoy yourself. Be at peace.