We can think of plenty reasons why we should suffer.

The fact alone that we are getting closer to our death every day is pretty hard to swallow for the most of us. And there is no guarantee that we will die old, worn out and sick, we might as well die a lot younger and quite unexpected. I mean, let’s be realistic. We spend so much time trying to avoid or deny our upcoming death and nothing really works. We are still afraid. We try to keep our minds busy and distracted, fleeing into entertainment, procrastination, tranquilizers, anti-depressants, fashion, plastic surgery, clinging to the illusion that our suffering will stop if we just deny our mortality.

But how about accepting what we cannot change?

“Before you die, please live a little”. It is a quote from Hojo-san, the younger brother of my Dharma grandfather Maezumi Roshi and also a zen master. It is very good advice. Sometimes we forget that our existence has created for us the opportunity to celebrate life. Yes, celebrate it! This is your chance, this is your moment! You are here on this planet, you are breathing, it’s an amazing miracle to be alive.

And because a YouTube video says more than a thousand words: