How would knowing that you are going to live forever change the way you treat life? How does this compare to, say, knowing that you will die at 80 or by your next birthday? Three groups of people were taken aside at very young ages and told that they were either going to live indefinitely, live until they are 80, or live for another year at the most.
They were then observed closely in order to detect any noticeable differences or similarities in their behavior and attitudes. As children, the first two groups did not exhibit any noticeable differences for their death was so far away that they never even seemed to think about it. They acted like most kids: played and enjoyed life while living blissfully in the moment. There wasn't too much concern about what they put in their bodies or how they spent their time for they truly didn't have a care in the world.
The third group, on the other hand, soon came to terms with the fact that they didn't have much time left. Being kids, the concept of an entire year seemed huge and incomprehensible, so it wasn't until about the 6th month mark that they started to realize their time on Earth was coming to a fateful close. An obvious shift occurred in their perspectives: no more was life all fun and games, they had to start taking things seriously. They tried to cram in as many activities and trips they could get away with during what little time they had left.
They saw lots of sights, they talked to many people, they experienced many wondrous experiences. But when all was said and done, they still felt like they hadn't really lived. Something was missing and they couldn't quite put their finger on what it was. Then the time came when they all had only a few short days left on our precious planet. That's when it hit them: they would be leaving everyone and everything they had ever loved and cherished.
They scrambled about, trying to pay homage to their loved ones and sacred places. They gave what felt like limitless love and energy to their family, friends and even strangers on the street for the beauty of human existence was not limited to those they personally know. A well of compassion was naturally dipped into over and over again for they saw themselves in every face they encountered. The love of life, of simply existing, was evident in every person they met during this time even if the person in question wasn't completely aware of it themselves.
These children had been forced to peel back the layers of their own existence to see what was left after all was said and done: love, simple, uncomplicated love. Not just any love: it was the love in the form of compassion for oneself and all living creatures. Once they stripped away all the thoughts and ideas and experiences, all they had left was what they brought into the world with them: love without borders, love without reason, love without question. They gave until they had hardly any energy left for themselves, but when they laid their heads on their pillows the night before they were supposed to die they felt at peace with their lives.
Feeling utterly and totally connected to everyone and everything, they knew that their purposes had been fulfilled during their short stay here on Earth. When they woke up the next morning and discovered that they were still somehow alive and well, they rejoiced and sang at the top of their lungs for how blessed they felt. They all lived long and happy lives as compassionate members of their community, constantly giving to others in one form or another out of the kindness of their hearts.
The other two groups lived very similar lives as each other up until they reached their college years. Many of the members of the group that was told they would live to be 80 felt the need to complete college as soon as possible and get started on their careers. Others got started on creating their families. The group that was told would live indefinitely took their time deciding on what they wanted to do for a living and many never settled on one particular career. Many of them traveled for many years, picking up odd jobs here and there, never feeling the need to plant their roots.
Some fell into deep depressions because apparently having that much time on one's hands can be rather overwhelming. Those who didn't seem to dwell on the concept of eternity fared much better, but they appeared to not be aware of nor concerned about having a higher purpose to their lives. The other group didn't seem to be too concerned about having a higher purpose until they reached about fifty years old because they were so caught up in making money, getting "ahead" in life, or raising their families until that time. Reaching the typical age of retirement, many felt like they had wasted many years of their adulthood doing the things that they were told would bring them much happiness and fulfillment, but, in actuality, only served to keep them busy and distracted.
That's not to say that they didn't enjoy their kids and their work on occasion, but they knew that they were ultimately trying to avoid the reality of death by engaging in these activities. Some dropped everything once this reality hit them and took off for the Bahamas or traded their family homes in for Lamborghinis. Plastic surgery was not a stranger to some of them nor was new diet or fitness regimens. Many of them got divorced or re-married, often to people much younger than themselves. It was obvious that they were trying to restore their youth, which was just another attempt at pushing death away.
A handful of the members of this group knew that this course of action was futile, so instead of trading in their family homes for flashy sports cars they traded them in for RV's. Traveling across the country, they hoped that seeing new sights and having new experiences would somehow awaken them to a deeper meaning or purpose to their lives. They enjoyed themselves immensely for many years, but when their 80th birthdays were just around the corner they knew that there was still something missing. Some fell into a depression and lived the rest of their days in that state.
Others turned inward, searching for answers they weren't sure how to find. This made some of them turn towards religion and spirituality in the hopes that somebody else may help point the way. Most found some peace through this, but it wasn't until they looked in the eyes of the people they loved when they were a few days away from the end that they realized what they had been missing: love. Just like the children who thought they were going to die in a year, a segment of this group saw the world of compassion through their renewed child-like eyes. They saw that life was simply made to love and be loved, the constant give-and-take that is the endless circle of manifested love. Those that saw this lived many more years past their 80th birthday. In fact some reached well past a hundred. Those that became depressed or tried to hold onto their youth all died before they reached their 80th year of life.
What happened to the group that were told would live indefinitely? Many of those who fell into a deep depression committed suicide long before they reached a typical American lifespan. Those who roamed aimlessly for many years didn't notice that their hair was turning gray, the skin on their face was becoming wrinkly, and that it took more and more energy to get out of bed every morning. They didn't notice it because they assumed it didn't matter: somehow their bodies would keep on trucking since they're meant to live forever.
Most of them died unexpectedly, although, in reality, all the signs were there. They died not knowing what their purpose was nor if there was any deeper meaning to life because they believed they had all the time in the world to discover it. "Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?" was their motto. A few of them saw the signs of impending death, and started to question whether what they were told was true or not. They even started looking at the deeper meaning of existence, and one or two even caught a glimpse of this before their eyes closed for the last time.
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