Unnatural Death (変死)

Yesterday, the baseball world was shocked by the passing of one Jose Fernandez, a 24-year-old phenom pitcher for the Miami Marlins, died of a freak boating accident. Unbelievable tragedy for the baseball world, but unfortunately not unprecedented and seems to be happening more and more in the world, whether it's death by car accident (drive safe, my lovely girlfriend!), death by mass shootings (a continuing tragic saga in America), death by hot balloon accident (recently happened in Texas). I don't know what the percentage of deaths are unnatural deaths nowadays, but I wish that it would decrease, in fact when I have prayers before going to sleep (I don't do this every night but I will try to remember to) I pray for peace in the world, less pain and more love, and also for people to not suffer anymore unnatural deaths. 

Someone like Jose Fernandez, though, is even sadder for everyone because selfishly, it reminds everyone how young one can pass away, and no matter how gifted, charitable, and strong (Fernandez was all 3, he defected from Cuba at a young age after spending years in prison for trying to defect and saved his mother whole fell into the ocean trying to escape, and was well regarded as a future Hall of Fame pitcher), anyone can pass away. It can come for anyone, this unnatural death.

Deaths are unfortunate in it of themselves, but unnatural deaths from accidents stand out as extremely unfortunate: the deceased did not prepare themselves for their last days. On a practical and morbid level it doesn't really matter for the deceased how unfortunate their death because they are dead either way, but it allows no time for the deceased to prepare, to brace for death, for it to be all over, to say goodbye to friends and family, to do that one thing they always wanted to do, to allow their friends and family some closure and some farewells. It's really unfair, actually. I've been very lucky in my life to know mostly only natural death, or some sort of illness or end of life: all the relatives I've known died of old age. There was one time I saw a dodgeball player pass away on a dodgeball court due to a pre-existing (not dodgeball-related condition) Unnatural deaths can happen to anybody, regardless of whether you're the safest person in the world and do nothing to deserve death, it can come for you and catch anyone. 

Unnatural deaths, though, even more than just the concept of death itself, has at least one positive effect: it gives all humans a sense of purpose: ( I know I'm trying to spin this death thing as positive, I'm actually deathly afraid of death itself and now even more of unnatural deaths because I can at least assure myself that a natural death is a long time away, but an unnatural death could happen at any time), It's giving people a sense of purpose, a sense of urgency to accomplish what we can in the time that we have, whether that's getting a job, finding someone to love, spending time with family, doing what we love, etc., etc. I can't say for sure what I would do if I knew I would live forever, but I sure as heck wouldn't cherish every day as much as I do, all the memories would blend together and I would forget a lot of things ( I already forget a lot of things, just ask my girlfriend!). But with the threat of death looming, I enjoy my time more, I try to do new things, I try to effect people in a positive way, and I value other people who I love even more because they're under the threat of unnatural death at any time too! Many people have theorized plenty and much better than I about the meaning of life, but one of them that I believe in is to use the time we have in life to cherish everything and do as much as we can and enjoy as much as we can, with as many people (whom we love!) as we can. 

Jose Fernandez did that, he loved baseball and loved the people around him. I will follow his example and live the life that he lived, before his unfortunate passing. 

Fantasize on, 

Robert Yan