Eternal Life

“It is not length of life, but depth of life.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes I feel a little philosophical and started wondering.

I was lying in bed when the thought came to me:

“People are always so sad when somebody dies.” Does that mean we long for eternal life? Isn't death an integral part of life? And if so, does that mean we want to cheat death? And if we could, would that even be desirable?

Since a year ago, I’ve been part of a global health and wellness company based in Scandinavia. With that massive career change, I stepped into a whole new world of health and wellbeing.

But what does health and wellbeing actually mean?

For many years I’ve followed Buddhism and Taoism. In Buddhism, they don’t talk about life and death the way we typically do. Instead, they integrate death into life by speaking of “being born and reborn.”

I think that's just beautiful. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder: What would the world look like if nobody died anymore, but people were still being born? That wouldn't work, right? So I started investigating what this actualy could entail.

1. Overpopulation

If people were still born, but no one ever died, the population would explode. Earth has limited space, food, water, and energy. Eventually, we’d run out of room and essentials.

2. Resource Scarcity

Even today, billions of people lack access to clean water and food. If lifespans were infinite and births continued, the strain on natural resources would be overwhelming. Farmland would disappear, oceans would empty, and power grids would crash.

3. Stagnation or Innovation?

You might think endless life equals endless wisdom. But if older generations never made room for new ones, society could stagnate. Fewer jobs. More inequality. Longer waits. Generational tension.

Then again, if we had enough space, say, by colonizing other planets, this extended life might trigger unprecedented innovation.

4. Existential Weight

What if you could never die? People might begin to feel trapped, especially those suffering or unfulfilled. Death, while scary, gives life urgency and meaning. Without it, time might lose its value.

5. Environmental Collapse

Let’s face it: our current way of living already damages the Earth. With unchecked population growth, ecosystems would collapse. Forests gone. Species extinct. Climate chaos intensified. Ironically, death is what makes life sustainable.

When life is finite, time becomes precious.

Every moment, every relationship, every decision matters, because it won’t last forever. Awareness of death gives us focus, appreciation, and meaning. It drives us to grow, to create, to connect, and to love deeply. If time stretched on endlessly, there’d be no real urgency. No finality. No deadlines. Dreams, apologies, goals, they could all be postponed... forever.

And maybe they would be. Boredom. Apathy. Emotional numbness could slowly creep in. Even joy might fade, because there’s no risk of loss anymore.

Some spiritual traditions don’t see mortality as a curse, but as a gift.

Without it, time becomes like a song with no climax, no finale, just notes on repeat.

But we’re still biological beings. We age. Our cells break down. Even if we prevent disease through perfect nutrition or technology, we still face:

• DNA degradation
• Oxidative stress
• Radiation
• Pollution
• Entropy

Even if we could “beat disease,” we’d still face wear and tear, environmental exposure, and the simple limits of the biological human body.

So true immortality wouldn’t just be about preventing death.

It would mean rewriting the entire definition of life in a biological body.

Which isn’t likely… and maybe not even desirable.

It’s fascinating though:

We’re always searching for more years, but the real power lies in better years. Years with vitality, connection, meaning, and joy.

Yet here’s the paradox:

We fear death, but often live in ways that accelerate it. We long for more time, but waste the time we have. We chase external fixes, while neglecting our inner compass.

We treat time like an unlimited currency until we realize it’s the most limited one we have.

Ironically, when we start to truly care for ourselves, body, mind, and soul, we often do get more time... Or at least, better time. So maybe the most courageous thing we can do is not to chase immortality, but to earn our life by the way we show up in it.

Respect our biology instead of fighting it. Nourish our health instead of masking symptoms. Value our moments instead of rushing through them. Live consciously, not just exist. Are you already living that way?

My unasked advice:

• Enjoy life.
• The best way possible.
• Love, the best way possible.
• I know you’ve had hard experiences.
• I hear you. I feel you.
• But don’t let those experiences steal your joy.

Don’t worry about your last day. That date is already set.

But DO care about how you live today. And how you might be sabotaging the quality of the time you do have left. Don’t focus on living as long as possible. Focus on living the best way possible.

And when someone dies? Don’t be sad. Be grateful you can say:

“They had a good life.”

And know:

They are happy too, wherever they are, because their journey continues.

A Personal Note: Our Father

Our late father feared losing his dignity. He didn’t want to live unaware of his surroundings, like a vegetable. He was part of an end-of-life organization.

He often said:

“If I could die on the spot where I stand, I would sign right away.”

I believe in quantum manifestation.

Our father did die on the spot where he stood, on April 30, 2021, due to cardiac arrest.

He didn’t suffer. We are still thankful for that. He lived his life the way he wanted. He retired early. He saw the world. He created a family. He taught us skills we still use every day. He lives on. In his sayings. In his legacy. And through us.

And in that way, He lives forever. . .