A Conversation With My Death

By Dr jalarth Uche Opara

It sounds strange, even unsettling to have a heartfelt discussion with ones death.

What if you woke up one day and discovered that I or any of your loved ones had passed? What would your reaction be?

Whatever your shock, pain, or devastation may be, three things would not happen: you would not wake any of them up, you would not follow any of them into eternity and eventually their death would not stop you from continuing with the journey of your life.

This is not about me or your loved ones. It is about a reality we all encounter, sometimes without consciously preparing for it.
Nobody is indispensable.

No one, regardless of how deeply loved, valued, or cherished they are, can permanently halt the cycle of ones life because of their departure. Your spouse, your children, your parents, your closest friends the same reality applies.

There may be heartbreaking cries. There may be moments of overwhelming grief, silence, confusion, and emotional emptiness. The pain may feel unbearable in those moments.

But with time, life slowly begins to find its rhythm again. The human spirit adapts, and the instinct to live gradually returns.
Take good care of yourself. Life is a gift, an opportunity to experience, love, create, and appreciate the moments given to us.

When death comes, nobody replaces the person who leaves. What remains is the memory, the impact, and the temporary storm of grief that follows.

No loss is without pain, and no goodbye is easy. But even the deepest grief eventually finds a place within the human heart, and life with all its changes and uncertainties continues with those who remain.

If you are scared of having conversations around the reality and inevitability of death, brace up and have it. It is a journey we would all embark on, when only God knows.

My conversation with my death is always a mutual thing, done daily. When did you have an honest discussion with your death?

Jarlath Opara
jarlathuche@gmail.com