I love this quote from British philosopher, Bertrand Russell, from his essay, ‘How to Grow Old‘. He wrote it at the age of 81, and then went on to live for another 16 years.
The best way to overcome the fear of death—so at least it seems to me—is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.
An individual human existence should be like a river: small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
The person who, in old age, can see life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he or she cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will not be unwelcome.
I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.
What I love about it is its applicability to all of us, regardless of the stage of life we’re in.
I also love that Russell wrote it in the latter stages of his life. It feels like his words are imbued with eight decades worth of experience, wisdom, learning, and perspective.