Orenthal James

O.J. Simpson passed away. 

I don’t bring that up to recall his infamous murder trial or that surrealistic drive in the white Bronco that mesmerized people all over the world. I also am not bringing it up to remember his extraordinary football playing career—though I still cringe a bit at the thought that the Philadelphia Eagles lost their first 12 games that draft year, 1969. As a result, they seemed on course to draft Simpson and future championships—and then, in typical Eagles style, won their last two games and wound up drafting the eminently forgettable Leroy Keyes at number 2—thereby snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. 

No, I am bringing Simpson’s death for a very simple reason: everyone dies. That may seem obvious, but it is a point most people try most strenuously not to acknowledge through the mind-numbing excesses of work, sex, drugs or whatever other diversion. Psychologists point to the terror of death as the source of most neurotic behaviors while, maybe paradoxically, existentialists see the inevitability of death as the opportunity for every individual to create a unique life of meaning and purpose—before they disappear. As Albert Camus famously said: “The only real philosophical question is suicide.” 

Note that “everyone dies” does not distinguish between those whose lives are good, bad, or indifferent. Whether as possible murderer or sports superstar, all of that died when O.J. Simpson died. Yes, his behavior had repercussions that will continue after him, but those victims and/or fans will have their appointments with The Grim Reaper, too, and it will not be too long before Simpson and his memory will reflect the Psalmist’s teaching: “As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.” (Ps 103:15-16) 

Death is a central theme in just about every spiritual tradition. In Christianity, believers are urged to “take on the Cross” in the sense of putting their earthly lives in the context of heavenly pursuits. As Jesus proclaimed: “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)  Similarly, at end of the Hindu story of the Bhagavad Gita,  everyone dies—the hero, Arjuna, along with all his allies and his enemies alike from that horrific war. As opposed to generating anxiety, in Zen the thought of death is enlightening: “Be dead. Be thoroughly, absolutely dead. Then do what you will. All will be well.” In other words, once we acknowledge that all existence is temporary, the tensions of life lose their power—and no longer can interfere with our efforts to diminish the suffering that accompanies thoughts of death. 

As for the non-believer, Mark Twain probably has the healthiest approach: “I was unconscious for billions of years before I was born and was none the worst for it. I expect the same will be the case after I die.”  

So, whether death results in reincarnation, extinction, or eternal reward or punishment, it seems counterproductive to allow thoughts of death to spoil the brief time we have while still alive. “Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.” (Langston Hughes) 

Oh…and, in case you were wondering, Leroy Keyes passed away in 2021.