22 Of The Most Powerful Death & Dying Quotes Ever Written
May 29th, 2015
Since the beginning of time, people have been expressing their thoughts on death in many, many ways. In fact, these ideas, discussions and philosophies surrounding death have been the origin of many great works of art.
In my opinion, some of the most powerful words about death exist in quotes. So, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite quotes on death and dying – they come from some of the greatest inventors, philosophers, psychologists, and yogis from all over the world.
Read them and become enlightened from some of the most beautiful, meaningful words anyone has ever used to describe the world’s greatest mystery… death.
#2. “Nothing can happen more beautiful than death.”
– Walt Whitman
#3. “If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character… Would you slow down? Or speed up?”
– Chuck Palahniuk
#5. “Death is the dropping of the flower that the fruit may swell.”
– Henry Ward Beecher
#6. “I shall not wholly die, and a great part of me will escape the grave.”
– Horace
#7. “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet, death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it, and that is how it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”
– Steve Jobs
#8. “Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”
– Buddha
#10. “Fear of death is ridiculous, because as long as you are not dead you are alive, and when you are dead there is nothing more to worry about!”
– Paramahansa Yogananda
#11. “After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.”
– 1 Timothy 6:7
#12. “Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.”
– Martin Luther
#13. “One should die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche
#15. “People fear death even more than pain. It’s strange that they fear death. Life hurts a lot more than death. At the point of death, the pain is over. Yeah, I guess it is a friend.
– Jim Morrison
#16. “Dying is a wild night and a new road.”
– Emily Dickinson
#17. “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”
– Mark Twain
#18. “If we really think that home is elsewhere and that this life is a ‘wandering to find home,’ why should we not look forward to the arrival?”
– C. S. Lewis
#20. “Time,” the Captain said, “is not what you think.” He sat down next to Eddie. “Dying? Not the end of everything. We think it is. But what happens on earth is only the beginning.”
– Mitch Albom
#21. “Life is stressful, dear. That’s why they say “Rest In Peace.”
– David Mazzucchelli
#22. “If you don’t know how to die, don’t worry; Nature will tell you what to do on the spot, fully and adequately. She will do this job perfectly for you; don’t bother your head about it.”
– Montaigne
Feel free to add your favorite quotes on death and dying in the comments below!
I always say “It’s not the fear of dying that bothers me, it’s the process to get there”.
“Where the will of God takes you, the grace of God will keep you”.
“Death is just opening the door to a new beginning”.
Thank you,
Thanks so much for the compliments, Sandy.I’m triyng to have the blogsite recognized as controversial, taking on some of the uneasy topics about both death and writing. I know there is a huge tribe out there who are aspiring writers (like me) and who now have a real shot at getting their works published, now that the gate of legacy publishing has been smashed by the digital peasants. I also know that there is another huge tribe out there, primarily boomers, who are soon going to be tackling the death thing either personally, or by their partner, parents, friends, relatives, or God forbid their children. I hope that my life experience as a cop and coroner (and also a son, dad, husband, etc. can shed some insight into what death is all about. At least from the way I see it.So you want the secret to life??? Here it is. Be happy. It’s just that simple. Happiness doesn’t have to be found in the monster home, the Beamer, the cottage at the lake; the material stuff. I love a quote by Mark Twain I reckon most people are just about as happy as they make up their mind to be . I also think the American founders got it right when they opened their constitution with The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness . So don’t worry, be happy!By the way, I live on Vancouver Island. Now how could a person not be happy living on Vancouver Island? I also have a seasonal retirement’ job where I guide people from all over the world to see grizzly bears and whales and dolphins and some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. And I get paid to do it!!I’d love to help you with your novel scene. It’ll be mid-month before I’m able to, but please send me an email with the outline and I’ll give you my take on it.Thanks again,Garry
I believe:
“Death is not the greatest loss in life ;
Loss is when life dies inside you while you are still alive”
On the other side of things maybe people may say “Live everyday as though it is your last because one you are going to be right “.
you all are right death in to fear its to look forward to death is a blessing from the gods above its as if your life is a job and death is a vacation
i speak from the heart because i am dead im a spirit free in the wind
that will be true one day but what is true is that i speak from the heart
‘It’s not about the destination it’s about the journey there’.
Destination = death
Journey = life
*mind blown* moment
I love your quotes.
Death is a pain we can’t avoid
Another great quote about death is, “Let silence reign forever over his tomb.” Most wouldn’t know who had said that, but who was it? Thomas Boylston Adams, John Adams’ 5th child and a brother of John Quincy Adams. Find the passage about his personal life and it’s mentioned in there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Boylston_Adams_(1772%E2%80%931832)
I’m not afraid to die I just don’t want to be there when it happens.