Information Related to "The Only Sure Thing"
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| - Benjamin Franklin | |
by Les McCullough
he inveterate gambler is always on the lookout for the sure thing,
the bet he can't lose. The only problem is, the sure bet doesn't
exist-with one exception. If you are a gambler, there is
one thing you can bet your life on. The odds of losing this bet
are nil.
Of course, the payoff may come when you least expect it. And, even though you're sure to win, winning this bet is no fun. But all of us, whether we place the bet or not, are sure to win.
The sure thing I'm speaking of is death.
Death is far more certain than life. A newly conceived human has a 20 percent chance of never seeing birth. However, there is zero percent chance that, once born, you will not ultimately see death.
Is this not a pleasant subject to find yourself reading about?
Indeed, it is not pleasant, and it's no surprise that so many are uninformed about the subject. Refusing to think about death does not make it go away. It just makes it harder for those left living to deal with this unpleasant fact of life once it has occurred.
Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying that the only sure thing in life is death and taxes. History has proven him right. Taxes are a reality of life whether we live in Africa, Europe, the Far East or North or South America.
But taxes do change, even though usually for the worse. Most nations levy heavy taxes on their citizens, and everyone has to pay them. Personal income, fuel, airline tickets, property, hotel accommodations-you name it and it is taxed.
Consistent and inevitable
The taxes we are levied can vary, but death doesn't change. Events leading up to it may vary, but death itself is always the same. Some forms of government may bring the onset of death about more quickly, and some economic conditions may hasten it, but death catches up with people of all nationalities, creeds and backgrounds. No one is exempt.
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