Lately, I’ve Been Thinking a Lot About Dying

Lately, actually for a couple of years now, I’ve been thinking a lot about dying. Now at first, that may sound morbid to you, but I actually think it’s healthy for my soul. It’s also a realistic approach. I’m not getting any younger and as Rocky Balboa said, “Nobody beats Father Time. He’s undefeated.” Let’s face it; physical death is inevitable. But at the same time, I don’t believe physical death is the end of the story—and that brings an entirely different perspective.

The famous quote and actually the central theme in the classic movie, The Shawshank Redemption is when Andy, who is serving a life sentence in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, tells his friend, “Get busy living or get busy dying.”

In the context of the story, Andy and his fellow inmates face the harsh realities of prison life. This quote serves as a reminder that, despite their circumstance, they have the power to shape their own destinies. Choosing to “get busy living” means embracing hope, taking action to improve one’s situation, and finding meaning even in difficult circumstances. Conversely, “get busy dying” suggests passivity, resignation, and a loss of will to fight for a better or more significant life.

Statistically, roughly 70% of Americans believe in life after death, and I’m part of that group. I also choose to believe what The Bible has to say about heaven and hell. By the way, I can point you to some great study materials from another fellowship that I’m blessed to be a part of called Legacy Builders (legacybuilders.faith) regarding what the Bible says about Death, Heaven, Hell and Salvation, etc.

I’ve decided, and I suggest, a more appropriate approach might be to adopt a philosophy of, “Get busy transitioning while your body is dying.” In a sense, my body started dying the day I was born. My soul is eternal. It will go on living even after my physical body dies. My soul actually only spends a short time in its present body. You might say, the blink of an eye from the perspective of eternity.

In 2004, Tim McGraw’s song, Live Like You Were Dying, topped the charts for seven weeks and won a Grammy for Best Country Song. It was inspired by the illness and death of his father, Tug McGraw, from brain cancer. The lyrics read…

“I asked him when it sank in that

this might really be the end. How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news?

Man, whatcha do?”

And he said

 

“I went skydiving, I went Rocky Mountain climbing

I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu

And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter

And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin’”

And he said, “Some day I hope you get a chance

to live like you were dying’”

 

He said, I was finally the husband that most of time I wasn’t

And I became a friend a friend would like to have

And all of a sudden goin fishin’ wasn’t such an imposition

And I went three times that year I lost my dad

 

Well I, I finally read the good book

And I took a good hard look

At what I’d do if I could do it all again

and then”

(refrain)

 

“Like tomorrow was a gift

And ya got eternity to think about what to do about what to do with it

What did you do with it?

What did I do with it?

What would I do with it?

 

“Skydiving, I went Rocky Mountain climbing

I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu

Then I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter

And I watched an eagle as it was flyin’”

 

And he said, “Some day I hope you get the chance

To live like you were dyin’

To live like you were dyin’

To live like you were dyin’

In essence, you could say the song is about transitioning. Sure it includes some personal bucket list items, but it also includes important relational actions. And every item had to do with living like your were dying. In other words, it had to do with living intentionally with a realization that life on earth is relatively short and therefore precious and that physical death is inevitable. Yet from a spiritual standpoint physical death is part of life where our eternal soul transitions from earth into an eternal destination.

In 2024, my 75th year, I did some bucket list items and some notable relational items. I didn’t skydive or ride a rodeo bull, but I did go hunting in the Rockies Mountains with my daughter Alexis and son-in-law Matt. And in 12-16 inches of snow, I killed an elk, I skinned it, boned it out and carried out the meat—and later cooked much of it for friends and family. I also went on an 11-day dangerous game hunt in Zimbabwe with my son Nick. He killed a leopard and lion and I killed a cape buffalo. And we both barely escaped being trampled by a herd of roughly 20 elephants. For me, that was all a part of living like I was dyin’.

Relationally, I had more heart-to-heart talks and I wrote more letters to my adult kids and grandkids. And I took three of them fly fishing at Rockbridge and eight of them turkey hunting and 10 of them deer hunting. And I met with a lawyer to update my will and finish up some other end-of-life legal matters. Yes, that’s also a part of living like you were dyin’.

Jim Elliot (1927-1956) was an American Christian missionary and martyr who, along with four other missionaries, was killed while attempting to make contact with the Auca people of Ecuador. Jim who is one of my heroes is remembered for his dedication to sharing the gospel and for his famous quote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Jim Elliot lived a life that honored God and like his Savior, Jim gave his life for others. He was no fool. Jim and his words are inspiring to me and help me when my perspective starts to get blurred by the fogginess of today’s culture. Jim lived like he was dyin’ and I want to live like I’m dyin’ or like I said before, live like I’m transitioning into eternity.

I close with this other thought-provoking quote from Jim Elliot, “When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.”

This is the FATC FORUM which is a great place to share your thoughts and questions on this or other matters. Remember…It’s not just about the fly fishing.

John Muckerman

FATC Inspirational & Leadership Studies Lead