Anything That Cannot Die Cannot Be Beautiful

A Cautionary Tale. Some time ago, one of the most accomplished Gambians overseas suddenly passed away after a brief illness. A few years earlier, his ex-wife had also died from an illness. Despite once being a happy couple, their relationship eventually ended in a contentious divorce that fractured their family. Following the separation, he moved into a rented home, while his ex-wife remained in the family home with their children. They had shared nearly two decades together.

After the ex-wife’s passing, the children went to live with their father. Just weeks before his own unexpected death, he was preparing to return to the family home — a transition he sadly never completed. After his passing, the children went to live with another family member, leaving the sprawling million-dollar home occupied by a relative.

Embrace Life. Life is short, and we must find a way to live before dying. Focus on the things that make you happy and fulfilling and advance humanity while we are here. When my dad passed away in England, surrounded by his children, older brother, nieces, and nephews, his body was flown to The Gambia for burial next to our forebear, Mam Hara Njie, in Jeshwang. Upon arrival, he was taken straight to the morgue, bypassing his half a dozen properties scattered throughout the country. His journey went from the airport to the morgue, then to the Independence Drive mosque, and finally to the Jeshwang cemetery.

In a fascinating moment before his burial, his eldest sibling, Bajen Sai, of Pipeline, who was nearly 20 years older than my dad, visited the morgue to say her final goodbyes. I heard that she wept and exclaimed, “Children should not die!” Those words still give me chills. Dad lived a good and comfortable life, and according to Bajen Sai, he would remain forever young because, after all, young people should not die!

Yet, despite this belief, he did pass away like his parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents before him, leaving behind substantial resources, including life insurance for his children and numerous assets. Dad passed away because he was a beautiful human being, and that is the natural progression of life for humans: to be born and to die.

Image: The life insurance policy my dad took out for my older brother, Mam Buba, and me when I was a year old, through the now-defunct Senegambia Insurance Company.

Cherish Each Moment. Embrace what brings you joy; try a new hobby or engage in activities you love. For me, gardening has become a therapeutic outlet. I plant vegetables, fruits, and flowers, each serving as a reminder of the transient nature of human life. Like blooming flowers, we experience peak vitality and achievement, only to eventually fade away like faulty perennials — highlighting the impermanence of life and the importance of cherishing each moment and opportunity.

Image: My garden in Texas

The Inevitability of Time. Eventually, time — man’s greatest nemesis — takes its toll on all, reminding us that we are only here to prolong the inevitable: death. In the searing and arresting words of Langston Hughes:

Folks, I’m telling you,

birthing is hard

and dying is mean —

so get yourself

a little loving

 in between.

Live a little, my friends; live a little. Like flowers, we are destined to bloom and eventually fade away, much like perennials. Therein lies our essence and the natural progression of life, for anything that cannot die cannot truly be beautiful.

Sulayman Njie.

Kitsap Peninsula, Washington

06.06.2025