The Instantaneous Force of Mortality

When I was first married, it seemed like every insurance agent in town called me up to see if me, and my new bride, were interested in buying life insurance.

Life insurance is interesting because it makes us think about things like: “If I died suddenly, who would provide for my loved ones?”, or “How long am I going to live?”, and “What do I want my legacy to be after I am gone?”

On the average, North Americans live to be 87.25 years old. Women live a little longer. Men live a few years less. Skydivers and BASE jumpers, well, it depends.

For the general population, the probability of celebrating your next birthday is always 9% less than last year. Statistics geeks call this the Instantaneous Force of Mortality. 

This graph pretty much tells the story (click to enlarge)

So why talk about this? 

Realizing that we do not have forever, helps us to better prioritize the present. It is how we live each moment of each day that determines the future. Live lovingly for others, and the world around us improves. Live for self, and everything around us withers.

Matthew 10:39 sums it up pretty well: 

“He who finds his life will lose it, he who loses his life for my sake will find it”

Pope John Paul II also understood this when he said:

“Nothing can give us a profound sense of the meaning of our earthly life and stimulate us to live it as a brief experimental state, as can an inner attitude of seeing ourselves as pilgrims.”

The saints have known this. The great men and women throughout history have known this. In a certain way, even the sky divers, BASE jumpers, and extreme athletes, know this.

Paradoxically, the only way we can gain eternity is to let go of it and ourselves. Instead, we must live for God and others, in the present.

Watch this video, and let it inspire you!