I looked death in the eye - and it was a terrible experience.

Host: The room was quiet, the soft hum of the evening filling the air. The gentle glow from the lamp cast long shadows, adding a serene warmth to the space. Jeeny sat at the table, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her cup, her expression thoughtful. Jack, standing near the window, gazed out at the darkened world, lost in his own reflections. There was a palpable tension in the stillness between them, as though the conversation was about to delve into something profound.

Jeeny: (breaking the silence, her voice soft but thoughtful) “I came across something by Virgil van Dijk today that really made me pause. He said, ‘I looked death in the eye - and it was a terrible experience.’ What do you think about that?”

Jack: (pauses, his voice reflective) “It’s such a powerful statement, isn’t it? It’s raw and vulnerable—talking about looking death in the eye, not in an abstract sense, but in a personal way. It’s not just about fear, but about how deeply those moments affect us, how they challenge our perception of everything around us. Death forces us to confront our mortality in a way that’s incredibly terrifying, but it also changes the way we see life.”

Jeeny: (nodding slowly) “Exactly. And I think what stands out to me is the way he describes it as a terrible experience. It’s not romanticized or abstract—he’s saying it for what it really is. Facing death brings us face-to-face with our deepest fears, our own vulnerabilities, and our sense of powerlessness. It’s a humbling experience, one that makes us realize just how fragile life can be.”

Host: The stillness in the room deepened, as Jeeny and Jack reflected on the deeper implications of van Dijk’s words. Outside, the night had fully taken hold, the world beyond quieting as though absorbing the weight of the conversation. Inside, their dialogue had shifted into something more personal—an exploration of the fear, the fragility, and the significance of life in the face of death.

Jack: (his voice quieter, more reflective) “I think what strikes me is the honesty in it. He’s not minimizing the experience—he’s acknowledging the intensity of it. We often talk about death in abstract terms, but to actually face it… that’s something that can change you. It forces you to confront everything you’ve been avoiding, everything you’ve taken for granted. And it’s terrifying because it reminds us of how little we control.”

Jeeny: (softly) “Yes, and I think that’s the thing about death—it makes us realize how precious life really is. It’s easy to get lost in the busyness of everyday life, to forget that it’s fleeting. But when we face death, whether directly or indirectly, it makes us appreciate the fragility of what we have. It reminds us to live fully, not just in the physical sense, but emotionally and mentally, too.”

Jack: (nodding slowly) “Exactly. It’s like death acts as a mirror for life, showing us what really matters. When you stare death in the face, you see the value in things you might have overlooked before. The relationships you’ve built, the time you have, the small moments that make life worth living. It shifts everything into perspective.”

Jeeny: (gently) “Yes. And in a way, it’s transformational, because it wakes you up to the fact that we can’t take anything for granted. We have to live with intention, to cherish each day, each moment, as if it could be the last. That’s what death teaches us, and I think it’s something we often forget until we’re forced to face it.”

Host: The quiet in the room grew, as if the weight of the conversation had reached its full depth. Jeeny and Jack had come to a shared understanding that while death is something we can’t control, how we live in the face of it is what really matters. Outside, the world had grown silent, but inside, the room was filled with the realization that facing death—whether literally or metaphorically—can be a catalyst for living more fully, more intentionally, and more deeply.

Jack: (smiling softly, his voice more assured) “I think that’s the key, isn’t it? We can’t escape death, but we can live better because of it. It’s not about fearing it; it’s about embracing it as a reminder to make the most of the time we have.”

Jeeny: (nodding warmly) “Exactly. And when we do that, we don’t just survive—we truly live.”

Host: The night had fully settled outside, but inside, the room felt full of understanding. Jeeny and Jack had uncovered a quiet truth—that while death may bring us face-to-face with our deepest fears, it also holds the power to remind us of how precious and fragile life truly is. In that realization, we find the strength to live more meaningfully, more fully, and with an appreciation for every moment.