The Mind Does Strange Things When It Accepts You Are Going To Die
My encounter with death changed me — but only in some ways
I guess I always thought you’d “lose your mind” and roar like a wild animal as you knowingly faced your last moments alive.
In my case it was different.
Maybe it’s because I didn’t get down to the very last 5 seconds of life, gasping for air, or maybe it’s because I’m an “old soul,” who deep down knew I’d faced death many times before and was ready for it — like a seasoned fighter who calmly walks to the ring to get punched in the face.
Whatever the reason, amidst the chaotic reality of the situation I found myself in, and what looked like my imminent death, I remember feeling “surprised” at my state of mind.
Instead of descending further into fear and panic, everything slowed down, and a calmness and peaceful acceptance of my fate settled it.
“I guess this is it then” I heard a voice in my head say, in a calm and casual way, like I was clinking glasses with a friend in a bar who was leaving town for good.
By that stage, I was starting to swallow more and more water. My arms and shoulders were burned out from the 10 minutes or more I’d been fighting the rough waves, trying to keep my…
