Keeping Awareness of Our Finitude as a Path to Fulfillment

That we’re all going to die is something we know on some level—we see it happen, we’re told it’s inevitable. You’re born, you live, and then you die. Yet, we go about our days making plans, worrying, eating, sleeping (or not), celebrating (or not), enjoying (or not), as if we were eternal, as if time were not of the essence.

I’m not suggesting that we start each morning meditating on our finitude like Benedictine monks. But in a world where distractions are meticulously engineered to feed our insecurities and fears, maybe—just maybe—a deep, embodied awareness of our finitude can be the antidote to so many misguided choices.

A healthy awareness of our finitude can trigger:

• Letting go of what does not serve us.

• Choosing our battles more wisely.

• Accepting what we cannot change and embracing who we are as enough.

• Summoning the courage to change what we can.

• Exploring our fears, biases, and preconceived notions.

• Stepping out of loneliness into a warming sense of connection with others.

The list could go on, but at its core, acknowledging our mortality helps us make choices that align more authentically with who we are and how we want to live.

Wisdom in Mortality

Oliver Burkeman explores the relationship between our mortality and time, bringing about a sense of acceptance and a fresh perspective on our humanity. His work helps us see how much time we waste on trivialities, not because they bring us joy, but because we avoid confronting what truly matters.

Another way to cultivate a kind and self-compassionate awareness of our finitude is through practical preparation. Margareta Magnusson, in The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, guides us in a lighthearted, distinctly Swedish way to acknowledge that we won’t be here forever. She reminds us that if we don’t take care of our belongings, someone else will have to—usually our loved ones, the very people we least want to burden.

Then there are those who focus on the moments leading up to death itself. Ana Claudia Quintana Arantes, in Death is a Day Worth Living, presents death as an ode to life—a perfect lens for putting our existence into perspective. Her book is a reminder that embracing finitude doesn’t diminish life but rather enriches it.

Embracing the Full Spectrum of Life and Death

One way to view life is through the lens of polarities, seeing ourselves as navigating the tension between them. The most fundamental polarity we experience is life and death. Because we tend to embrace only one side—life—we try to exclude the other, diminishing our experience and adding unnecessary suffering. In reality, acknowledging death strengthens our connection to life; it deepens our relationships, fuels our purpose, and helps us appreciate the moments we often take for granted.

By writing about finitude, by reflecting on our mortality, I hope to tap into something deeper—our humility, our interconnectedness, our sisterhood, brotherhood, and everything-in-between-hood.

As my dad used to say, “Everything has a solution, except death—and even that is already a solution.” Funnily enough, this saying never worried me; rather, it soothed me. It has helped shape my thoughts and feelings about our finitude, reminding me that death, rather than a terrifying end, can be a guiding force in how we choose to live.