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Mahatma Gandhi Explains How to Live A Good Life In 16 Words
The older I get, the more I appreciate simple advice that leaves room for self-exploration.
Mahatma Gandhi was a master at that. He dropped nuggets of wisdom that were more philosophical than definitive and I love that about him.
So, when it came to sharing how to live a good life, he continued in the same vain.
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever” — Mahatma Gandhi
For the rest of this article, I’ll unpack each line while adding some personal experiences and learnings as I’ve adopted this philosophy into my own life.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow
Initially, I thought this meant to live life to the fullest. To capture each moment and to leave no stone unturned. However, the older I get, the more I realise it’s not necessarily what I do but how I do it.
So, living each day as I were to die tomorrow has taken on a new meaning.
It now means how much awareness can I live with each day, how much can I notice what I’m a part of, and how much can I stay open to the mystery of life.
I feel very blessed to have lived a full and rich life in my twenties. I travelled the world, lived in exotic places, became a scuba diving instructor, explored psychedelics and breathwork, and learned what it takes to love myself.
So, I don’t have the urge to squeeze every drop out of life because I’ve already done that. Now I’m more content and able to live a simple life. I play with my cat, tend to my veggie garden, watch the seasons go by, meditate, read lots of books, and go on long and meandering walks.
Mark Twain once said, “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
I agree. Not that I want to die any time soon but knowing that death is inevitable keeps me on my toes.
Learn as if you were to live forever
Although death is inevitable, I’m still curious to learn as much as I can while I can. And it’s something that psychologists say keeps old people young.
