Download - The Perfect Wisdom Web

Be Not Afraid Epiloguecontain a key to his boldness. They also contain a vitalkernel of wisdom: the thought that the best way – theonly way – to truly overcome the fear of death is to livelife in such a way that its meaning cannot be takenaway by death.This sounds grandiose, but it is really very simple.It means fighting the impulse to live for ourselves,instead of for others. It means choosing generosityover greed. It also means living humbly, rather thanseeking influence and power. Finally, it means beingready to die again and again – to ourselves, and toevery self-serving opinion or agenda.In Dickens’s Christmas Carol, the bitter oldaccountant Scrooge provides a memorable illustration.Tight-fisted and grasping, he goes through life dragginga chain that he himself has forged, link by link, witheach miserly deed. Having closed himself to humankindness, he lives in a universe so calculating and coldthat no one escapes his suspicion. Before long he beginsto despise himself and look for a way out of his misery.But he cannot find one. He is trapped – trapped in theprison of self. Worse, he is haunted at night by dreamsof death and dreads its approach.Then he changes. Loosened by those same dreams,the scales fall from his eyes, and he sees a way out: “Itis time to make amends.” No longer consumed with his08