In old Rome, when victorious generals returned from battle, they had parades held in their honor. Even as a general rode in these processions, at a time when most would feel a great sense of achievement and maybe even some hubris, the Romans had a way to keep these generals grounded. In the chariot with a victorious general was a slave. His job was to continuously whisper the words “Mimento Mori” to the general. This Latin phrase means, “Remember you must die”. This reminded the general that in spite of his recent victories, death was always just another battle away. It was reminder of their mortality and forced them to consider humility.
Rome fell centuries ago but this concept of reminding ourselves of our mortality has lived throughout the years. For some, it is the Skull & Cross Bones. For me, it is the cemetery.
I love cemeteries. They are my Mimento Mori symbols. Even though I love to go cemeteries for the peace and serenity and to make great pictures, they function more as a constant reminder of mortality. I am always reminded about how short life is. I almost hear a clock tick.
The main purpose of my Mimento Mori symbol is to remind me of the lack of Time. Time. That the years are passing by. Time. That every minute in this temporary life is precious and that one has to seize each moment. Time.
As one wanders around and reads the epitaphs, pictures come to mind of lives lived, of dreams realized and shattered, of love, sorrow, pain and joy. Overwhelmingly though, one realizes that irrespective of what these souls went through, it all ended one day. Their lives were finite. My life is finite. Yours too.
I always leave resolved to do more, worry less and fill every hour but alas, once the symbol of temporariness recedes, I slide back into the delusion that I have all the time in the world. Like a victorious Roman general, I need a voice in my ear whispering Mimento Mori. I still have so many battles to fight.
Mimento Mori is a real powerful one.It doesn’t have a direction like crime or adventure. However, it is so deep and keeps you spellbound. Everything in there is cool.
I did learn a lot about death when my Dad died last April. I’m still learning and can identify with your piece. Humility is the watch word for me since.
Great piece. Don’t hide it.
Mimento Mori is a real powerful one.It doesn’t have a direction like crime or adventure. However, it is so deep and keeps you spellbound. Everything in there is cool.
I did learn a lot about death when my Dad died last April. I’m still learning and can identify with your piece. Humility is the watch word for me since.
Great piece. Don’t hide it.
We are so ill reconciled to time that me are perpetually amazed by it. “How he’s grown!” we exclaim or ask “Where has the time gone?!”. It is a strange as if a fish were constantly amazed at the wetness of water (paraphrased liberally from Reflections on the Psalms by CS Lewis). Yet what do we know from personal experience beyond this constant of time and space? But there will be a “last day” when it’s all been said and done. But perhaps within us, whether recognized or unrecognized, there is a desire for the eternal. If so perhaps this explains in some part our uncomfortableness in relation to these confines of the temporal. “Oh Lord You have made us for yourself and our hearts are ever restless until they rest in You.”-Augustine of Hippo
We are so ill reconciled to time that me are perpetually amazed by it. “How he’s grown!” we exclaim or ask “Where has the time gone?!”. It is a strange as if a fish were constantly amazed at the wetness of water (paraphrased liberally from Reflections on the Psalms by CS Lewis). Yet what do we know from personal experience beyond this constant of time and space? But there will be a “last day” when it’s all been said and done. But perhaps within us, whether recognized or unrecognized, there is a desire for the eternal. If so perhaps this explains in some part our uncomfortableness in relation to these confines of the temporal. “Oh Lord You have made us for yourself and our hearts are ever restless until they rest in You.”-Augustine of Hippo