“People fear what they don’t understand and hate what they can’t conquer.” – Andrew Smith

“I feel like I died 20 years ago, and I live like a man who’s dead already.” – Malcolm X

 Death is a fascinating concept.  Everyone knows it’s coming, simply because there isn’t one person walking the face of the world who was born in the beginning of time and is still around, in their physical form, today.  People are born, they live, and they die.  In between, the best people can do is be as productive as possible with the time they’re given to live. 

Smith’s quote makes sense in the vein that death can’t be conquered.  All the weightlifting, 5Ks, half marathons and full marathons in the world isn’t going to change the fact that, eventually, everyone has an expiration date. All the clean eating in the world isn’t going to change the fact that when it's time to go, it's time to go.  All the abstinence won’t change that.  All the promiscuity won’t change that.  All the time spent keeping up with the Joneses, or marching to the beat of your own drum won’t change that.  Death has a perfect percentage from the field, a perfect batting average at the plate and the best quarterback rating in the history of life.  When it comes to the education of life, it has a 4.0 GPA.  It doesn’t mean a damn thing what people think about death; it’s going to happen.  Malcolm’s quote is merely an extension how some people feel about life when it comes at them fast.  It’s as genuine and as abrupt of a realization one can have.

Despite that, there are still not only plenty of reasons to live, but there are plenty of reasons to be prepared for your loved ones to take care of things you can’t speak on anymore or have any input on because, well, you’re dead.  On top of that, it gives a person an opportunity to learn.  It gives a person an opportunity to plan post-life circumstances, how to approach death, planning a funeral, a will, all of the stuff that comes along with post-life.  Admittedly, this idea came from the courage of Mark Trible, one of the best writers and thinkers in the universe and someone who did this in the middle of 2015 (1).  His story, his words, and his vision provides what this is all about.