Memento Mori

Since I started living here in Chicago last month, I've been enjoying going to church.  One of the times I attended Catholic Mass earlier this month, the priest told a story during his sermon. 

A man went to a monastery on a retreat.  He went there for some quiet contemplative time, since he was trying to decide whether to become a priest or a psychologist.  Everyday, he would go for a stroll on the grounds of the monastery.  When he went on his walks, he would always pass a monk who would say to him, "Memento Mori."  Finally, when the week was over, the time came for the man to leave the monastery.  Soon before he was going to depart from the monastery, the man again crossed paths with the monk.

"Well?" inquired the monk.  "What did you decide?"

The man replied, "I have decided that I am going to become a psychologist."

"So?" asked the monk.  "What now?" 

"Well, I am going to go to graduate school."

"And then what?"

"Then I will get a job as a psychologist.  And I am going to fall in love and get married."

"Then what?"

"Then we will have kids."

"Then what?"

"My children will start attending school."

"Then what?"

"Eventually, my children will attend college."

"Then what?"

"By then, I suppose I will retire."

"Then what?"

"Well, since I will be retired, I will get to travel to some places I've never been." 

"Then what?"

"Well, by then, I suppose that my children will be having their own children, so I will enjoy spending time with my grandchildren."

"Then what?"

The man thought for a moment.  "I suppose that soon after that, I will die."

"Then what?"

The man looked a bit concerned.  "Well, then I will go before God, and I hope that He will be pleased with how I have lived my life."

The monk explained, "This is why I kept saying to you, 'Memento Mori,'" meaning 'Remember death,' or 'Think about what will happen when you die.'"