"The sense of death is most in apprehension,

And the poor beetle that we tread upon

In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great

As when a giant dies."

-Shakespeare

(Enright, 296)

 

     Every living thing on Earth experiences death, yet some people only think about the death of humans as having any sort of significance. It is my own personal belief that no one species on our planet is more important than another. Think of all the ants you have unknowingly walked on as you ignorantly go about your daily life. Most people would call me crazy for caring, but I cannot help but take every life into account. Thankfully, I was born a human so I do not have to worry about being crushed by a pair of sneakers, but it could easily have been the other way around. Who's to say that you could not have been born as another creature? In my opinion, humans simply have the brain capacity to be incredibly self-aware, and so perceive themselves as the most important species. Of course, we are the most important beings on this planet as far as we are concerned because of self-preservation, but it is important to take a step back on occasion to think about the "insignificant" creatures of the Earth.

Chief Crazy Horse

(Credit: Straighthand Graphics)

"Hoka hey! Follow me

Today is a good day to fight

Today is a good day to die."

-Chief Crazy Horse

(Kramer, 169)

     The Oglala Sioux warrior is fearless in the face of death. Each morning when they woke they'd recite "Ho Ka Hey", which translates to "it's a good day to die. They were entirely willing to surrender themselves to death, it was an honor for them to have served their tribe in such a selfless manner.

     Similar to the Chinese, American Indians practiced a way of life which nature was sacred and life was lived through rituals. When a tribe member reached their late thirties and early forties, if they treated all of nature as sacred, they too became sacred. This included four-legged animals, trees, bugs, winged-creatures, as well as rocks. I found it wonderful that the Sioux Indians were eternally grateful to Wanka Tanka (the Great Spirit) for the chance to be alive, and for the earth's gift of sustenance.

"The animals that look at us like children

in innocence, in perfect innocence !

The innocence that looks at us ! Like children

The animals, the simple animals,

have no idea why legs no longer work."

-Gavin Ewart

(Enright, 296)

     Ewart's poem describing the pure naivety of animals really resonated with me. I will never forget those loving pets of my past that have long since passed away. They truly are innocent, and it is a shame that their lives must end so early. The short time that each spent on Earth left a great impact on my life, and they fed my soul with their complete love and never ending fervor for life. Every dog I have been lucky enough to own was always happy up until their final day. It is amazing how certain animals seem to stay eternally joyful. Perhaps ignorance truly is bliss.

Works Cited

Enright, D.J. The Oxford Book of Death. Oxford [Oxfordshire: Oxford UP, 1983. Print.

Kramer, Kenneth Paul. The Sacred Art of Dying.: How World Religions Understand Death. NewYork, NY [u.a.: Paulist Pr., 1988. Print.

Porras, Jerry L. Stewart, Emery and Mark Thompson. Success Built to Last: Creating a LifeThat            Matters. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Pub., 2007. Print.