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20120912

Gliding Forever

Imagine you're on the 108th floor of the WTC as it burns, blocking any escape. The windows are already shattered, and so you have a choice: Die of smoke inhalation, or fire, or falling from the 108th floor. I know what I'd choose. Do you?
Personal parachute. Never go into a skyscraper without one.

But seriously, we're all going to die, one day and one way or another. It was destined from the moment we were born - everything that lives, dies. If it be in tragic terrorist attack, or car accident, or stroke all alone, dying on the kitchen floor, we're all going to die. We must make peace with this fact for a successful life, as denial will only lead to delusions, and delusions lead to darkness. Tip for living: Avoid delusions.

If your day has come, and it will come, face it as bravely as you can, in acceptance - this was the price of living: Dying. Alas, I wish it were not so, as do we all, as do all things alive, be they ape, dog, snake, snail, fish or bird, or all the microscopic bacteria floating in pond scum, so dear. Life is dear, and a brief gift. Enjoy it while you can, as much as you can. For the afterlife is boring I hear - that is, nonexistent. We get one shot at this thing called "Consciousness", and this is it. Do Good.

4 comments:

l.e.s.ter said...

11 years later I'm not yet desensitized to this material. I wonder if I ever will be. It would be interesting to read about the photographer who took that image -- what it felt like trained on the last moments of someone's life and whether the photographer subsequently felt grief or trauma over it.

Redshirt said...

Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Falling_Man

The photographer was also at RFK's assassination. 40 year AP vet.

It's an extremely powerful image.

l.e.s.ter said...

It is incredible to live in an age when those answers are all at one's fingertips. It is also incredible that The Falling Man's brother was one of the Village People.

Redshirt said...

It's nigh magic. I used to buy all sorts of difference reference books, so that I could look up anything in the world. Moving them brought home the change in tech over the years - so freakin' heavy! All those heavy, heavy books, when Google is light as a feather and will certainly have the answer to your question post haste, as opposed to the books, which could take some time, if they answer your question at all.

Alas!