Re: Would you open the envelope???

lopse · ‎12-19-2018

I wouldn't because of the overwelming anxiety it would cause.

speedy girl · ‎06-03-2018

No way. Only my heavenly father knows the answer and that is fine with me.

hayseed00 · ‎11-24-2011

@ProudMa No I wouldn't.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@lopse Search Jasmine Becket Griffith. It is one of her early paintings.

Free2be · ‎03-10-2010

Anxieties about opening the envelope reminded me of a bit of wisdom I copied on a scrap of paper many years ago, I found it to post here even though the jist of it is about why people suffer, fear of death is one aspect:

1. They don't know who they are.

2. They're attached to that which is impermanent and unsubstantial.

3. They are afraid of that which is impermanent and unsubstantial.

4. They have a false sense of identity through their ego.

5. They are afraid of death.

All are contained in the first one.

***

It is both simple and not. It takes some effort to know who you are without the stories you've concocted, the stories others have made about you, your defenses, the supports that will fall away. What's left after all of that is wiped away is all that matters, spiritually, imo.

Death will be (in finality) the same as everyone else's experience, whatever that was. Would like to ask Cleopatra, for instance, but she's gone. Her experience would be no different than a person from any other continent or time, so why be anxious? Know yourself and you'll be good to go.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@ProudMa

I would have no reason to open it. I am happy just plugging along and enjoying life as much as possible for as long as possible.

Now I have "seen the light" twice, and had several other encounters where doctors and other struggled to keep me here on earth. Afraid of death? Nope! Just have no sensible reason I would want to know.

"Knowledge is Power"? Not in the hands or minds of everyone. Power has destroyed many places in the world over centuries.

But on to more hypotheticals. I don't think so, to busy living the now.

hckynut

hckynut(john)

Mary Bailey · ‎03-09-2010

no

I'm glad I didn't know "this" was coming either.

I do think about the end & how precious time is now, more than I ever did before. And I thought about a lot before.

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@Free2be wrote:
Anxieties about opening the envelope reminded me of a bit of wisdom I copied on a scrap of paper many years ago, I found it to post here even though the jist of it is about why people suffer, fear of death is one aspect:

1. They don't know who they are.
2. They're attached to that which is impermanent and unsubstantial.
3. They are afraid of that which is impermanent and unsubstantial.
4. They have a false sense of identity through their ego.
5. They are afraid of death.

All are contained in the first one.
***
It is both simple and not. It takes some effort to know who you are without the stories you've concocted, the stories others have made about you, your defenses, the supports that will fall away. What's left after all of that is wiped away is all that matters, spiritually, imo.

Death will be (in finality) the same as everyone else's experience, whatever that was. Would like to ask Cleopatra, for instance, but she's gone. Her experience would be no different than a person from any other continent or time, so why be anxious? Know yourself and you'll be good to go.

@Free2be These are some tenets of Buddhism. While good for discussion, they are not applicable to everyone.

I do agree about scripts assigned by others to us but I disagree that not opening the envelope means those who would not are afraid of death. Some are, some are not.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

Georgiagrama · ‎03-19-2010

@ProudMa wrote:
I have an envelope for you, in it is the date and time of your death. There is NOTHING you can do to change it.

Would you open it??

I definately would.....Knowledge is power

Have a feeling most wont... but is that more because you dont want to think about the enivibality of life ending?

@ProudMa I definitely would simply because I have so many loose ends I need to finalize. Instead of saying, "I need to take care of this", I would. I would get all my business taken care of and then, I would live my life as fully as possible.

If I were younger, I would say no, but I think, as you age and time passes so quickly, you are more aware of the things you need to complete, and, I seem to keep adding to my list!