There is this part in ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ that mentions Buddhism.
Morrie: Everybody knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently.”
Mitch: So we kid ourselves about death.
Morrie: Yes. But there’s a better approach.
To know you’re going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time. That’s better.
That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you’re living.
Mitch: How can you ever be prepared to die?
Morrie: Do what the Buddhists do. Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks,
‘Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do?
Am I being the person I want to be?’ [Turns to his shoulder] ‘Is today the day I die?’
I’ve never heard of the ‘bird practice’ in Buddhism, but it’s a pretty neat idea,
though we just need to ask ourselves, instead of an imaginary friend!