[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fUXhA1cdr_LLB7lHJCdRJTaKV1di18QgohK2hEOVnfq4":3,"$f3Lu47Yo6UffvMQlFYcPdVfLj7fKZWDdp_cF_LiBozcs":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},100793,"Steven Salaita","S",1,null,"steven-salaita",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":23},[14],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":22},772609,"If I had my life over again, I would form the habit of nightly composing myself to thoughts of death. I would practice the remembrance of death.There is no other practice which so intensifies life. Death, when it approaches, ought not to take one by surprise. It should be part of the full expectancy of life. Without an ever-present sense of death, life is insipid. You might as well live on the whites of eggs. You might as well drink Kool-Aid",2,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThe quote is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist and philosopher from the Transcendentalist movement. Emerson's life was marked by introspection and a quest for meaning, as seen in his essays and lectures. This sentiment likely emerged during his mid-life crisis, around 1840-1850, when he struggled with personal losses, including the death of his son.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nEmerson's assertion that cultivating thoughts of mortality can \"intensify life\" may initially seem counterintuitive or even morbid. However, this paradox lies in the fact that confronting and accepting one's own finitude allows for a more profound appreciation and engagement with the present moment, rather than getting caught up in fleeting desires or distractions.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply Emerson's insight, adopt a practice of \"memento mori,\" where you regularly reflect on your own mortality, not to dwell on death itself but to sharpen your focus on what truly matters. By acknowledging that life is short and precious, you can eliminate the superficial and prioritize experiences, relationships, and pursuits that bring depth and fulfillment.",{"currentPage":8,"totalPages":8,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":24},10]