Why are we afraid to die if it's inevitable?

[Jim D.]

I know that about you Karl. So, you won't be annoying me for 20 days. Oh goodie!!!

 

I use to bike for my own pleasure. I got up to my 40 mile goal and quit. I trained 3-4 x's per week. I would train in the hot sun, hill train, just train. The sun made me crabby, dehydrated. I kept telling myself to bear it,  it's good training. I thought I would get better calves...huh! Never happened even with the kind of workout I do today which includes modified squats with a 40 lb weight, lunges, and calve lifts with a 40 lb weight. O.K. It is what it is. I work on my legs for the kneeling katas in Iaido.

 

I am 70 as you know, and my biceps tape at 14 inches. I want to be that guy who looks cut at 80. You've seen them.

 

You're not in as bad shape as I thought. How far are you going? Sounds like a bike club. To belong to your club do have to have a desire to stop walking? :-)

 

What do you think of the Honda Element. We are looking at a 2010 2WD SC...112,000 miles...$8,000.

 

"Love ya Mannnnn!!!"

[Karl]

I know that about you Karl. So, you won't be annoying me for 20 days. Oh goodie!!!

 

I use to bike for my own pleasure. I got up to my 40 mile goal and quit. I trained 3-4 x's per week. I would train in the hot sun, hill train, just train. The sun made me crabby, dehydrated. I kept telling myself to bear it,  it's good training. I thought I would get better calves...huh! Never happened even with the kind of workout I do today which includes modified squats with a 40 lb weight, lunges, and calve lifts with a 40 lb weight. O.K. It is what it is. I work on my legs for the kneeling katas in Iaido.

 

I am 70 as you know, and my biceps tape at 14 inches. I want to be that guy who looks cut at 80. You've seen them.

 

You're not in as bad shape as I thought. How far are you going? Sounds like a bike club. To belong to your club do have to have a desire to stop walking? :-)

 

What do you think of the Honda Element. We are looking at a 2010 2WD SC...112,000 miles...$8,000.

 

"Love ya Mannnnn!!!"

Not pedal cycle, but motorcycle :-) I walk at least 3 miles every day and often 10 miles 3 days of the week. A bit further on weekends.

[Marblehead]

Well, I enjoy talking with both you guys so don't be going any place too far off any time soon.  It's nice having a couple old farts I can talk with.

[Jim D.]

I beg your pardon. My shit don't stink!!!!!

 

Hey Karl. Did you buy those tickets yet? Yeah the tickets!!  To the Gun Show!     Referring back to my 14' biceps. Whe I was in my 30's I strongly considered Anabolic Steroids...stacking. They a control substance after that. Goog thing, with my untreated anxiety and rage about the second wife, I would have beat her down, and anybody that looked at me wrong.  

 

I've been an all day motorcycle trip riding on the back of a Honda Touring bike...Goldwing!  I was in my 40's. I wore a bandana and it flew off very quickly when we took off. Skip, a Black Berut, Special Forces, Army said we an't going back. When we stopped to have lunch, my scalp crawled. It was all that wind hitting my scalp at 65 miles per hour. What an experience. I wanted to go out and get a Honda Shadow. Couldn't afford a Soft Tail Harley...I could afford goggles, and leather jacket. But not the Harley.

 

My personal goal when I jogged was 10 miles. I did it and got black nails. Gave it up for biking. And you walk 10 miles Karl? Your calves have to look like pipes, or the top of baseball bats.

[Karl]

I beg your pardon. My shit don't stink!!!!!

 

Hey Karl. Did you buy those tickets yet? Yeah the tickets!!  To the Gun Show!     Referring back to my 14' biceps. Whe I was in my 30's I strongly considered Anabolic Steroids...stacking. They a control substance after that. Goog thing, with my untreated anxiety and rage about the second wife, I would have beat her down, and anybody that looked at me wrong.  

 

I've been an all day motorcycle trip riding on the back of a Honda Touring bike...Goldwing!  I was in my 40's. I wore a bandana and it flew off very quickly when we took off. Skip, a Black Berut, Special Forces, Army said we an't going back. When we stopped to have lunch, my scalp crawled. It was all that wind hitting my scalp at 65 miles per hour. What an experience. I wanted to go out and get a Honda Shadow. Couldn't afford a Soft Tail Harley...I could afford goggles, and leather jacket. But not the Harley.

 

My personal goal when I jogged was 10 miles. I did it and got black nails. Gave it up for biking. And you walk 10 miles Karl? Your calves have to look like pipes, or the top of baseball bats.

I'm not the body conscious sort. As long as I'm fit, strong and don't have a paunch, that will do. I never got into all that body building stuff, someone did drag me along to a gym when I was in my early 20s with the aim of turning me into a muscle man, but I had enough after one session and quit. Much rather do something physical such as caving, rock climbing, walking or mountain biking. I had a hankering to become a regular paraglider, got my licence, but decided it wasn't my thang.

 

Anyway must start getting the bike ready for the trip up. It's five hours or so and likely raining which makes it tiring.

[Marblehead]

 

I've been an all day motorcycle trip riding on the back of a Honda Touring bike...Goldwing!  I was in my 40's. I wore a bandana and it flew off very quickly when we took off. Skip, a Black Berut, Special Forces, Army said we an't going back. When we stopped to have lunch, my scalp crawled. It was all that wind hitting my scalp at 65 miles per hour. What an experience. I wanted to go out and get a Honda Shadow. Couldn't afford a Soft Tail Harley...I could afford goggles, and leather jacket. But not the Harley.

 

I had a 1974 Harley Sportster for many years.  It rode many US roads, a few in Canada and a few in Mexico. 

 

I did a three day weekend from Augusta, Georgia to Toledo, Ohio round trip.  It took two weeks after returning to Augusta before my body stopped vibrating.

[Jim D.]

I'm still vibrating, and it started in the 80's. Part of that was my x-wife Pantiff. The other part of it is early on-set Parkinson's...I think

[Marblehead]

I'm still vibrating, and it started in the 80's. Part of that was my x-wife Pantiff. The other part of it is early on-set Parkinson's

 

 

...I think

 

... therefore it must be.

[Jim D.]

Well, I am still alive right now, and I haven't thought about dying today, or about dying tomorrow, or the next day, or the next because my goal is to live to 100. With this boyish body, I might have a chance at it. Plus, I have a very young wife that keeps me thinking about now.

 

You know, not to long ago, I use to tell her that 'I only have 14 Christmases left' because the actuaries put a man at around 84 befire he took an extended "dirt nap."  But since I have stopped saying that to her or myself, I don't think about taking that extended "dirt nap."  You see the issue was my regret that I only had 14 years left to enjoy her. But I am in such great shape for a guy my age (70) that I sold myself short by thinking negatively. If my life is shorter than I think it is, so what. Right now I have today.

 

Look you older dudes and young dudes, you are wasting your breath and time talking about the inevitable. There are better things to do with your time like chase women, drink a few (remember a 1,000 not enough, and one is too many), read, research, listen to music, take a walk, talk religion and politics, swear some, spit some (but not in the wind), eat, fart, laugh, and don't take yourself too seriousl, and live in harmony with others to the best of your ability. Quit posturing. It is not practicing humility. Kiss your mothers and kiss your dads. They will not be around forever. Remember, they did the best with what they had. They worked hard so that you could eat, have a roof over your head, clothes and indoor plumbing.

 

You will never re-invent the wheel. All this posturing sounds like, one up on you sucka. Not worth it.

[Marblehead]

Yeah, as long as we keep living we still have choices.

[Jim D.]

I am for living because the choices I have made so far, at least in the past 5 years, has contributed to my happiness, and absents of negative thinking.

[Brian]

Why are we afraid to die if it's inevitable?

Why do we want to survive, even though no one really survives?

Why do we want to leave a legacy, when all stories fade into oblivion?

Why do we want the impermanent to become permanent?

Why do we want for things to be other than they are?

 

The same question in 5 variants. The answer shall destroy the world.

What makes you think I fear death?

 

<shrug>

[Jim D.]

Death is not the "grim reaper" waiting in wings. I would think that if we look back over history the whole idea about fearing death came about by someone's trying to scare someone about death e.g. Revelations in the Bible. Or stories told by Edgar Allan Poe. Or a story told around the campfire. Or people's belief in ghosts and spirits, and haunted houses. Or Christianity as a whole. However, Hinduism does not teach fear. Buddhism does not teach fear. Daoism does not teach fear. Witchcraft teaches fear etc.

 

If you were totally isolated in a tribe, you wouldn't have any idea about death other than seeing people getting old and dying. Or seeing warriors getting killed in battle. Or children dying in Childbrith. Or watching sacrifices of children to the Gods and hearing their screams as they were stabbed, burned, or thrown over a cliff.

 

Fear is an emotion we create.

[Marblehead]

What makes you think I fear death?

 

<shrug>

Because water fell on the floor when you were looking down the barrel of that .44.

[Brian]

Because water fell on the floor when you were looking down the barrel of that .44.

Me??? I was cuttin' the rug down at a place called the Jug with a girl named Linda Lou...

[allinone]

Death is not the "grim reaper" waiting in wings. I would think that if we look back over history the whole idea about fearing death came about by someone's trying to scare someone about death e.g. Revelations in the Bible. Or stories told by Edgar Allan Poe. Or a story told around the campfire. Or people's belief in ghosts and spirits, and haunted houses. Or Christianity as a whole. However, Hinduism does not teach fear. Buddhism does not teach fear. Daoism does not teach fear. Witchcraft teaches fear etc.

 

If you were totally isolated in a tribe, you wouldn't have any idea about death other than seeing people getting old and dying. Or seeing warriors getting killed in battle. Or children dying in Childbrith. Or watching sacrifices of children to the Gods and hearing their screams as they were stabbed, burned, or thrown over a cliff.

 

Fear is an emotion we create.

 

Fear that you won't even be taken to the world of afterlife, but you wait long time with others similar to you who have nothing to pay for the boatman who would cross you over.

 

You can only dream of grimreaper coming by personally...high hopes. It would be much easier to make Kim Jong Un bow to you.

Edited July 11, 2016 by allinone

[Marblehead]

I liked (Thank You) the post even though I do not hold to those concepts.  It is a good response though.

[Jim D.]

I am not afraid to die yet. I would like to enjoy the next 20 years with my Beautiful Bride.

[Marblehead]

I know that we can live carefully so that we don't die accidently or stupidly.

[Jim D.]

This morning I will have had two molars extracted. At this moment I am not projecting about will have happen. But as I drive towards the Dentist office, somehow my heart rate will increase. And by the time I sit his chair, they will take my blood pressure. I will not be surprised to see that it is a little high. And then the needle will come forward and into my mouth to inject Novacaine. If they were to test my HP it will have risen more, and I will have a grimmace on my face from the pain. But as the Novacaine takes effect, I will still wonder if there will be any pain. I will wonder throughout the procedure, and even after I am on my way home, I will wonder about the amount of pain I will be in once the Novacaine wears off.

 

Fear is there to help us to survive. When there is too much of it, than it can be physiologically damaging and pathological.

[Marblehead]

Enjoy your visit.  At least you will no longer have tooth aches from those two teeth.

[Direwolf]

I think we fear death because often enough, it's out of our control, whether we like to admit to it or not. You could do the best that you can do to not hit by a car on the way to work but statistically there's still a reasonable risk of that happening.  Furthermore, as you say it's inevitable, our clock is ticking, has been ticking and will continue to tick, until it breaks, it is ultimately inevitable.

[Jim D.]

Well, I am back from the dentist. I did not have tooth aches before. But I did have granulated tissue, meaning a sizeable infection.
The Novacaine is wearing off. So far, so good. Discomfort is minimal. I had two young Dentist students in their 3rd. year. They took very good care of me. They were meticulous and professional, and worked well together.

 

I am not fearing that the teeth they took out are dead, because they are...Dead!  So, I am not fearing anything right now.

[Marblehead]

Yeah, I know, you are a tough guy.  Hehehe.

[Jim D.]

No, I am not tough. I am courageous! :-)

Edited July 13, 2016 by Jim D.