This is Depressing, Don't Read It.

Momento Mori means 'remember your mortality.' The concept is that a piece of art, a phrase, a song, etc. reminds you (painfully) of the fact that one day you will die. Hopefully that day is far away for all of us. 

I've been in a kind of momento mori mood lately (maybe it's because of Hamlet--is reading it twice through in the space of a week too much?) and thought I'd dredge up some old drawings I did a while back:

The human skull is a common theme in momento mori artwork,

and while skulls are striking, there's something about the bones

of a hand that make me shudder. Sort of like when Hamlet says

"That skull had a tongue in it, and could sing once"

you can't help but wonder what a hand did before it became bare bones.

Calla lilies are commonly used at funerals.

I generally try to not sound like the obsessive over-thinker that I am, but it apparently shone through in this post. Oops. It's because of Shakespeare, okay? I have an enthusiasm for Shakespeare that is borderline ridiculous. Oh no, here it comes.... I just love Hamlet because it's so incredibly, deeply thought provoking. Shakespeare is amazing and all of his plays are  amazing for different reasons. For example, Henry V is full of insults and powerful speeches to rally courage, but Hamlet... Hamlet is full of brooding, challenging ideas and themes. In 'to be or not to be' he addresses every basic human question in the most beautiful language.... Anyway, I like Shakespeare and especially Hamlet and today I felt like reminding you that one day you're going to die. Sorry.

And to close it all out, here's a line from Hamlet that wraps everything up nicely. Here he's talking about facing the prospect of death:

There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow. 

If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, 

It will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come—

The readiness is all. Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows what is't
to leave betimes, let be.

So there you have it. One day you'll die, maybe tomorrow. But don't worry about it because there's nothing really you can do and remember that God is watching after you. 

Also, Shakespeare.

The end.