The 23rd Birthday – A Personal Living Eulogy of Dick David7 min read

Being this age is sacred to me

Being this age is sacred to me.

 

So, I’ve decided to write a personal living eulogy.

 

It is the sum of my entire life.

 

All my decision, efforts, sacrifices, as well as my indecisions, laziness, and mincing has brought me here and made me so.

 

It is the result of all my activities – whether deserving of a thumbs up or down.

 

I am old enough now to understand what is needful in life and what is not.

 

To understand:

 

• Love is not about clinging to people, but rather helping them grow without any desire for recompense

 

• Money is not everything. It is an illusion devised to pressure everyone into contributing to society. Hence, I know my contribution is more important than money per se.

 

• Pain is good for us – as long as it is not excessive. Pain builds us up. The more pain we endure, the more our stamina grows. With constant exposure to it, soon what felt undesirable becomes fun – like the crackling of fingers. Pain chisels us (both mind and body)

 

• I am an “insignificant” animal amongst other billions of animals who are all running from pain and seeking pleasure.

 

• We would all die and be forgotten – no matter how well or horribly we lived.

 

Being this age and achieving this level of awareness makes me proud in a way.

 

• I have been able to denounce and break free from all that my parents and teachers thought of me: religion, language, love, and so on. Consequently, I have been able to expand my views of life – to see more than I was shown. To understand and appreciate other people’s perspectives – to have a better comprehension of the world – a deeper awareness of reality.

 

• I have been able to sieve all that I knew through the mesh of timeless wisdom precipitated from the dozens of books I’ve read within this short time I’ve lived. I’ve also run into the shocking realization that the more I know, the more I realize that I know less.

 

All these and more have irreversibly shattered almost all my world views as a kid. It has kept me in a state of perpetual open-mindedness, endless imagining, and constant awe of the universe – everything is plausible.

• Despite my bewilderment at the complexities of life, I’ve been able to develop for myself some core value that has served and would continue to serve, as my internal compass. Until of course, something else shatters them

 

• I have stumbled upon and held onto values such as respect for all religions, persons/personalities, cultures, etc. Loving unconditionally – that is, desiring nothing in return for my good. Self-improvement – that is, all I do must bring about an improvement of myself. Gratitude, Honesty, and knowledge.

 

Growing up is a grueling endeavor on its own – as long as you consider becoming a better version of yourself a part of that aging process.

 

• I’ve taken a stab at learning new languages like French, German, and Mandarin. I have not been successful in any of these. I hope to at least learn Mandarin before I’m 25.

• I’ve had the leisure of observing the behavior of people, and have also come to a startling realization that family by blood is not always the family that would save you. Family stretches to anyone ready to suffer for your sake, just for the sake of you.

 

• I have had sex many times and can say that it’s not so much about the sex, but the emotional connection that matters. Sex is overrated, or should I say misunderstood?

 

• I have come to realize that everything is ultimately nothing, and the same – right from their nature and appearance, down to their atomic compositions. We are to decide what is important to us or not – it is a decision the universe has left for us to make. That’s to say, the universe has given us a meaningless life that we are to give meaning to, and not a meaningful life to realize.

 

• I have also experienced the death of my Grandma. It is the first loss that has ever cut me deeply – deeper than I thought. It thought me the value of time, and why one needs to take care of, or at least show care to the people they love – love is action, not a feeling.

 

• I have tasted cigarettes and some other entheogens – I didn’t like them. They tasted funny, gave me headaches, and had too much risk – both health-wise and legally. They were not worth it, so I left them.

 

• I have also tasted alcohol. Now, that was one thing that felt good. Though it still tasted sour, bitter, and burned, it truly delivered happiness at the bottom of each bottle – at least, for a few hours. But it also came with its sting: the embarrassments, smell, and blackouts. I have kept a safe distance, but do enjoy a bottle once in a while – Never in excess again.

 

• I have seen pornographic movies and can say that they are more addictive than alcohol and cigarettes combined – they are the “New Drug”.

 

The days of my life grow shorter with each birthday celebrated – it is a reminder of my mortality.

• Recently I’ve been empathizing with animals. I feel a deep connection to nature. And although I’m not a vegetarian nor a Sharman, I think we humans are hurting the helpless animals, plants, environment, and ultimately ourselves. We should be more at peace with nature – show some more love, respect, and restraint.

 

• I also have concerns about the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence. I fear that they would soon take over the world, and we would be too dumb to even realize it.

 

• I also tremble because of the capriciously precarious state of my country (Nigeria) though I am hopeful. My hope is not on external factors, but on the basis that I can help make it better by being better for myself and others. And also inspiring/helping others become better versions of themselves.

 

• I grow wearier of the flood of information hitting us these days on Television, social media, and the internet at large. I fear the truth alongside our humanity is being submerged in the flood. We literally swipe over massacres. We are also becoming more polarized because of this flood of data – we seek to find just what we want to find (and deep within this flood of data lurks something to confirm any bias)

 

• I see religion also dying off, or should I say shifting forms. I heard the Pope even support gay people these days. Atheism is rising, and more “Woke” people are emerging. It’s a brave new world.

 

At this age, I have come to grasp a good understanding of how the world works.

In all my understanding, I have seen that what is principal is that we are nice to each other and that we play with animals, and plant more trees. It is good to eat the reward of your labor. It is good to seek happiness.

• I am not worried about my future. My Mom and Dad have given me the room to build enough skills and knowledge to conquer the world along with its challenges. For this, I am eternally grateful to them.

 

• I have a great body and a brilliant mind: I have chiseled my body with exercise and acrobatic. I have a large e-library and an X-ray picture to prove – an X-ray of my neck bones after I landed on my head during an intense gymnastic session.

 

• I am lucky to have been given such opportunities by the universe/God.

 

• I am grateful for my caring family and friends. I am grateful for the friends I’ve made in school and online. I’m grateful for everyone I’ve met and known – even those who were not good to me, and those I wasn’t good to.

 

• I am grateful for the peace in the country – at least we are not at war. And I am glad that the world is at peace – at least there is no nuclear war, at least not yet.

 

Now I’m 23, and it’s time to give.

 

To contribute to society, inspire, help, raise, protect, and do my part for humanity.

 

Thank you. I hope you too grow up, level up, and step up.