Story One
When Socrates was dying he was so enchanted that his disciples could not understand what he was feeling so happy about. One disciple, Credo, asked "Why are you looking so happy? We are crying and weeping." Socrates said, "Why should I not be happy? I have known what life is, now I would like to know what death is. I am at the door of a great mystery, and I am thrilled! I am going on a great journey into the unknown. I am simply full of wonder! I cannot wait!"
Story Two
One disciple asked Socrates "Are you so certain that the soul will survive after death?" Socrates said, "I don't know." Then the disciple asked, "Then why are you feeling so happy if the soul does not survive, then ...?" Socrates said, "I have to see. If I survive, there can be no fear about it. If I don't survive, how can there be fear? If I don't survive, I don't survive. Then where is the fear? There is nobody there, so fear cannot exist. If I survive, I survive. There is no point in getting afraid about it. But I don't know exactly what is going to happen. That's why I am so full of wonder and ready to go into it. So, I don't know."
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I have read above stories at least 5 times in a row and I ask myself if I can be as happy as Socrates when I am dying (technically I am indeed in my dying process now). At least I am not sad. And then I also think I am going to give the same answer as Socrates, i.e. "I don't know!" and I admittedly agree with his logic of thinking, but I doubt if I am able to practice what he said. Often than not, I do find the gap between thinking (and agreeing) and doing rather significant and sometime the gap is so big that make things merely impossible to accomplish. But no worry, for both of above, I am going to continue trying and one day, yes, one day I shall be there with Socrates! Then,, I can say "It's nice meeting you (here)!" Hahahah!
