The Four Reminders

I am starting to read about the "Four Reminders" in a book by Andrew Holecek called Preparing to Die. The Four Reminders are 1) the preciousness of human life; 2) the impermanence of world and people; 3) helplessness in the face of death; 4) worldly desire as  the source of suffering (p.22-23).
   It seems pertinent in the present situation to bring forth these ideas, because they relate to the corona virus, and they also remind us that death can happen at any given time. Knowing that life is already fragile can help us foster an appreciation for the fact that we are still alive today, and that we really have no idea when our lives are going to finish. But, at the same time, it might also be helpful to thing that kinds of ideas these four reminders counter-act:  that is, the tendency to think of things as permanent; the tendency to take for granted life's preciousness; an illusory sense of being able to control death or even live on indefinitely through our creations; 4) the craving for worldly things,
   My own reflection on these reminders is that they balance each other and even build upon each other, even though ostensibly they do seem separate. For instance, if a person only focuses on detachment from worldly things, they lose sight of the precious value of human life. Renunciation, rather than being a means to insight, is seen as an end in itself, which becomes a bit like nihilism. The insight into impermanence also needs to come with insight that the nature of mind is not limited to specific phenomena. This ties in with the precious opportunities that come with having the ability to practice Buddhadharma as a human being. Finally, the contemplation of the end of things, such as death, helps to counterbalance the sense of "overindulgence" of pursuing worldly things (that is, realizing their insignificance in the face of death), but also it prevents people from becoming too attached to impermanence that they are unable to see the significance of ending life or seeing life approach a different life.
   One could map this kind of quadrant in terms of 'locus of control' as well as 'sense of importance'. Too much of the first reminder and not enough of the second can give people a false sense of entitlement in the universe (being "God's chosen" makes us infallible and immortal). Conversely, an overdose of reminder 3 and not enough of reminder 4 can give us a sense that we have no control whatsoever, when in fact 4) is a source of valuable insight that can steer one on a wisdom path. In a sense, I see these four reminders not simply as sequential reminders, but as balancing forces that can help bring out the meaning of the other while curbing the excesses that can come from relying too dogmatically on one principle or ideal.

Holecek, A. (2013). Preparing to Die: Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. Boston: Snow Lion