Death is something that constantly looms over us. From the first time we lose a loved one to seeing our inspiring role models pass away, even to the point when our friends, siblings and other companions die, we mourn, we lament and hopefully we learn to appreciate the living.
Death may be all around us, but it does not have to be a source of fear. While it marks the end of a life, it can be a flagship to those who remain. If any of us have been inspired by a deceased person, we carry with us the influence of that individual. Beyond that, we also carry a responsibility to live our lives accordingly.
This has been demonstrated by many, but few as profoundly as the late Elie Wiesel. He was a Holocaust survivor. He experienced living in WWII ghettos; lived as a prisoner at Auschwitz, one of the most gruesome concentration camps in Nazi-controlled Europe; and came out on the other end.
While his survival is amazing, what followed was even more inspiring.
Wiesel did not allow circumstance to shut him down, though none would blame him. Wiesel did not let his life diminish.
In his 1986 Nobel Lecture, Wiesel stated:
"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."
He went on to be a renowned author and humanitarian, becoming a central voice in social justice movements and winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He suffered through some of the world's worst times, but did not allow death to hold power over him. He instead used his life to react against the evils that cause violence and hatred.
It is never pleasant when people die, but Wiesel's death can now be a beacon of hope to us. While the lives of so many were cut short during the Holocaust, he lived on, and used this opportunity.
As we all age, we face a choice. We can choose to continue doing what we have always done and pursuing comfort, or we can choose to follow in the footsteps of men and women like Wiesel. Death is not right, but Wiesel's death teaches us a "right way to die," if ever there were one.
When I die, I want it not only to be the end of my life, but I want it to be a flagship to those who remain. I want to live a life that inspires others to go on fighting for justice, despite all circumstance. I want a death that shows how I lived, and Wiesel's death shows in the most profound way-- he lived.
"Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
-Dylan Thomas
