There’s a book at Urban Outfitters that exemplifies this idea that we must do a certain set of things that define life as good. If you think this is bunk, then think of how many times you’ve been on facebook and compared your life to someone you haven’t seen in a while (this becomes more pronounced as we get older) and thought their life is better than yours. In the book, the set of things we’re supposed to do are dangerous, regrettable, and often immoral, which goes well with the popular view that with serious things we must be irreverent, not humorous, but irreverent. But for the sake of argument, let’s say that there is a list of things to do before we die that are not immoral, though I question any morality that sees this life as the ultimate end of a person. Let’s pretend it’s something like sky diving, or riding a horse bareback, or traveling to Bali.
The assumption behind this is that life ends at death, and as beautiful and romantic and how great this might make for a movie that will do moderately well at the box office, it’s a view of life I find wanting. If it all does end at death, then why do good? Or why even live? How about a dramatic suicide, and even that I’ll allow with something like the label of love attached to it? A loving suicide. I’m sure in that kind of framework and with such a cheap definition of love that is circulating today, it could exist.
The saints however, disagree with this view of living. Death is not the end, and in fact it’s a beginning. And bodily death is only one kind that we experience. In the Christian tradition, a person can be spiritually dead, but bodily they are alive, like corpse animated by strings not its own.
The mystics would say we need to live in the moment, the present is the only reality, though the promises of God and what we are predestined for is always in sight. I find this a far more compelling and truer view. The other is driven by discontent and an unclear depiction of the good life. It’s easy to accept and buy into- pop culture will provide plenty of images and ideas of how to move forward with it. It’s false, however, and only makes the problem worse.
The other is a mere acceptance of where we are, as it is, and to move on from there. What is happening now? My strongest memories are of when I stopped and sank into the ground of where I was and lived, wanting nothing else. God shows up in those moments like that whisper of His tends to do, and I’m lifted above things, seeing beyond them and into them. In these moments we taste the divine, and we live a life not of this world, a far more pleasing thing that falling from the sky in an airplane. Eternity is really eternity when we touch God and play by His rules, for those are the rules of the universe. There is no other set to follow that will lead to life.
But let’s say God did write a bucket list for all those wanting to experience life. Let’s say they’re found written on stone, or coming from the mouth of Christ, the divine Logos. What would it have to say?
We are not of this world, and looking for an otherworldly experience in this one is futile. Futile is the word that best describes this part of our existence, because the bucket list of this world can run on forever; not the forever of heaven, but the forever of hell.
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