Utnapishtim’s line “There is no permanence” reflected on humanity as a whole, and what it means to be human. Humans differ from any other animal because we are aware of our own mortality. We are aware that we are going to die, and we are not permanent on this planet. We are aware that nothing on this planet is permanent. Everything fades away, dies, or ends. While on the outside this seems like a very pessimistic outlook on life, it really isn’t. Because of this knowledge, humans are unique in being able to live every second of life to the fullest. We know that life is short, so we need to live it as much as we can. Why waste what precious time we have left feeling bad for ourselves and striving to live longer? It’s pointless.
What gives us meaning in life is our ability to feel emotions. Along with knowledge, humans come with emotions. Love, happiness, compassion, pain, sadness. Without these things, we wouldn’t be human. While not all emotions are good, we have to feel them all. And it is worth it. Anyone who has felt love of any kind in their life will agree that it is worth it to be loved. In the musical Next To Normal, they stress this very well, “The price of love is loss, but still we pay. We love anyway.” It’s true. As humans, we love each other despite the fact that we know nothing is permanent, because love is worth it.
Without the knowledge of our mortality or the ability to feel emotions, our lives would be much simpler, but not necessarily better. Yes, we would be blissfully ignorant of death and heartbreak, but we wouldn’t have such great emotions as love to compare it to. That is why in Gilgamesh, Enkidu takes back his curse on the harlot. He is first angry at her for giving him the knowledge of mortality, but then is reminded of all that was wonderful in his humanization. His companionship with Gilgamesh, his glory and happiness. He would never have had that without the knowledge and acceptance of his own death.
Without a mixture of love and hurt in our lives, our lives would be mediocre at best. Yes, heartbreak hurts, but it is worth it. Yes, acceptance of life’s end is hard to manage, but it gives us the strength and motivation to live every second to the fullest. As the 1979 Massachusetts senator, Paul Tsongas said, “Don't fear your mortality, because it is this very mortality that gives meaning and depth and poignancy to all the days that will be granted to you.”
