Contemplation of life after retirement and life after death can

“Contemplation of life after retirement and life after death can help you deal with contemporary challenges.” Thus spoke Russell M. Nelson, a man of both science and spirit — a renowned heart surgeon who became a prophet and teacher to millions. In these words, he invites us to lift our gaze beyond the narrow horizon of the present moment. He reminds us that wisdom is born not from the chaos of today, but from the calm vision of eternity. For the one who contemplates what lies beyond — beyond work, beyond wealth, beyond even death itself — gains the power to face the troubles of now with serenity and perspective.

The origin of this saying rests in Nelson’s lifelong journey between two worlds: the temporal and the eternal. Before he led a church, he healed the human heart with the tools of medicine; afterward, he sought to heal the soul with the tools of faith. His life taught him that the body and the spirit are intertwined — that to live wisely, one must look both inward and upward. When he speaks of life after retirement, he speaks to those who measure their worth by their labor and fear what comes when the busyness fades. And when he speaks of life after death, he speaks to all humankind — to remind us that this life, however fleeting, is part of something vast and eternal.

To contemplate life after retirement is to remember that we are not defined by our occupation, but by our character. Too often, people live only for the race — the work, the goals, the achievements — and when that race ends, they find themselves lost. Yet Nelson counsels that the wise prepare for the quiet years long before they arrive. They cultivate purpose beyond productivity, love beyond position, and faith beyond the fleeting applause of the world. The man who lives only for his career will find emptiness when it ends; but the one who lives for truth, service, and growth will find that every season of life — even its twilight — is rich with meaning.

But deeper still lies Nelson’s call to contemplate life after death. For in remembering our mortality, we awaken to our immortality. The ancients often spoke of this truth. The philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do, say, and think.” The prophets of old, too, urged men to “number their days, that they may gain a heart of wisdom.” When we contemplate death not with fear but with reverence, our perspective sharpens. The petty worries of the present — the slights, the ambitions, the anxieties — lose their power. We begin to see that every trial is temporary, every hardship a teacher, every act of kindness a seed sown into eternity.

Consider the life of Nelson Mandela, who endured twenty-seven years of imprisonment and yet emerged with a heart free of bitterness. How did he do so? Because he viewed his suffering within the grand frame of purpose. He understood that his pain was not wasted — that freedom, justice, and the dignity of the human soul were causes greater than any one life. His perspective — like Nelson’s — transcended the moment. When a person fixes their eyes on something eternal, even the darkest prison becomes a place of transformation. So too, Nelson teaches, when we anchor our hearts in what comes after, the storms of the present cannot drown us.

To contemplate eternity is not to withdraw from life, but to enrich it. When a man knows that his actions echo beyond the grave, he treats every word and deed with care. When a woman believes that her soul will continue beyond her final breath, she lives with courage, forgiveness, and compassion. This eternal awareness creates balance — for it teaches us what truly matters and what does not. In this way, contemplation becomes not an escape, but a weapon of peace — a light that pierces through the noise and confusion of the modern age.

The lesson, then, is this: live with eternity in your sight. Take time each day to step beyond the whirlwind of the present. Ask yourself: “What will endure when all this passes? What part of me is eternal?” Whether you are nearing retirement or walking in the vigor of youth, look ahead — not in dread, but in wonder. Prepare not only your finances, but your spirit; not only your home, but your heart. Remember that the measure of a life is not how long it lasts, but how deeply it touches eternity.

So let us heed the wisdom of Russell M. Nelson: “Contemplation of life after retirement and life after death can help you deal with contemporary challenges.” When you lift your eyes from the dust of today and gaze toward the horizon of forever, your burdens grow lighter, your patience deeper, your soul stronger. You will learn that the trials of the present are but chapters in an infinite story — and those who live with that knowledge walk in quiet strength, unshaken by the winds of time, for they have already glimpsed eternity.