I was recently, and by recently, I mean, “sometime before today” introduced to the website, “Daily Stoic“. I have really liked the little essays that are published on this site; it’s worth taking a gander! They’re also on Facebook.
One of the concepts that this site introduced me to is “Memento Mori”. Memento Mori means, “Remember you must die.” The concept isn’t to be taken morosely or with despair. It’s meant to help you remember to live. To live each day as if it were your last; because you will have a last day, you just don’t know when it’s going to be.
Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher leader of Rome is quoted as saying, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”
And here’s a quote attributed to Mozart:
“I have now made a habit of being prepared in all affairs of life for the worst. As death, when we come to consider it closely, is the true goal of our existence, I have formed during the last few years such close relationships with this best and truest friend of mankind that his image is not only no longer terrifying to me but is indeed very soothing and consoling, and I thank my God for graciously granting me the opportunity of learning that death is the key which unlocks the door to our true happiness. I never lie down at night without reflecting that—young as I am—I may not live to see another day. Yet not one of all my acquaintances could say that in my company I am morose or disgruntled. For this blessing I daily thank my creator.”
As a result of what I’ve been learning about Stoicism and Memento Mori, I took the following photograph:
The three primary components of this image are the Tulip, the Skull and the Hourglass. The Tulip represents life, the Skull represents death and the Hourglass represents time. I just threw the other elements (the glass ball, the Ceeport pin and the rubber duck) in for the fun of it.
The idea behind this photograph was inspired by a painting by the 17th century French painter Philippe de Champaigne entitled, “Still Life with a Skull.”
