Alive Quote by Lydia M. Child
“If we really believed that those who are gone from us were as truly alive as ourselves, we could not invest the subject with such awful depth of gloom as we do. If we could imbue our children with distinct faith in immortality, we should never speak of people as dead, but passed into another world. We should speak of the body as a cast-off garment, which the wearer had outgrown; consecrated indeed by the beloved being that used it for a season, but of no value within itself.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Reflections on Immortality, Lydia M. Child, 19th century
The quote suggests that if we truly believed the dead remain alive, we would treat death less gloomily, seeing it as a transition rather than an end.
In simple terms: Seeing death as a transition reduces sorrow.
Key Takeaway
Adopt a view of death as a passage.
Themes
mortality
spirituality
grief
belief
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
contemplative
When to use this quote
- funeral rites
- parenting children
- comforting the bereaved
- philosophical discussions
Key Concepts
afterlife
transcendence
impermanence
Questions to Reflect On
- How would your language about death change?
- What impact would this view have on grieving?
A Different Perspective
May conflict with materialist or secular perspectives that deny an afterlife.
