When All Is Said and Done

Death is the great leveler of all humanity. It makes both the rich and the poor equal. Nothing seems more impartial than death, for it is the final destination of every human being.

Today, the father of one of my colleagues passed away. It was due to old age; he was about 83 years old, if I am correct. I was privileged to attend his burial. After the interment, I watched as people gradually returned to their conversations, laughed, and went about their normal activities. It reminded me that life goes on, no matter what happens. It also made me realize how fleeting life truly is and that there is indeed a time for everything.

The house he built remained behind. He could not take it with him, and no one followed him into the grave. It was just him, while everything he had worked for stayed behind. What truly remained with him were the deeds he had done while he was alive.

Life is something we should not take too seriously in the sense of becoming consumed by material possessions and worldly achievements. After all, what really makes us different from the animals and plants that also die? When it comes to death, I do not think there is much difference. The same fate that befalls animals eventually befalls us as human beings. If only we would often think about that final moment when our hearts will stop beating and we are eventually forgotten by the world, remembered only by those who truly loved us.

Life is but a brief moment. We should learn to live peacefully with everyone and always remember that a day will come when we will no longer be able to fight, argue, or struggle over possessions just to become great in life.

If human beings could bribe death, the rich would never want to die. The poor may seem less afraid of death because many of them already struggle through life and may ask, “What is death anyway?” Yet death comes to everyone regardless of status. Life itself is temporary, and it will not last forever. So why should we fight over everything, only to leave it all behind for someone else to inherit?

There is a saying that it is good to go to the house of mourning because it brings the heart to repentance. I believe this is true. Watching a fellow human being being laid to rest reminds us that one day we will all be in that same position, no matter how long we live. We cannot live forever. Every mortal dies once, and after that comes judgment.

Today, one of my students said something that surprised me, especially because it came from a teenager. She said, “People have been saying that the world will come to an end for thousands of years, yet it has never happened.” I asked her what religion she practiced, and she replied that she worshipped Ogun, the god of iron. She then added that before the world comes to an end, she hopes to have children of her own first.

So the question is: What are we to believe? What should we do? How should we live our lives to the fullest? What truly makes life meaningful? Is it simply to have fun, or is it to raise children, watch them grow, see them have children of their own, and then eventually die ourselves?

Christians say that God is supreme. Muslims also affirm that Allah is supreme. Christians believe that no one comes to the Father except through the Son. Traditional worshippers also hold firmly to their own beliefs. That is the reality of our world.

Perhaps, regardless of our different beliefs, we should strive to live righteous lives, remain faithful to our fellow human beings, avoid causing pain to others, and seek to live in peace and unity with everyone. At the end of it all, the life we live and the good we do may be the only things that truly outlive us.