It is not really that I ever would seek death out. I was scared of me personally dying when I was young, like in my teen years. I definitely wouldn't have chosen the path I walked on dealing with death at ages I don't really believe people should have to deal with it. Especially 16. You also shouldn't have to lose close friends as early as late 20's and 30's. Alas, tough times hit my family in a profound way the last 10 years. It's one thing to lose someone who wasn't a real integral part of your adult life. The last 10 years, my family, we've been through the ringer. People can say this or that about life. I have been through just about all of it. The parts I haven't been through, mostly cause I was dealing with helping someone survive through pain/abuse/situations or I was dealing with my own trauma from that stuff. In the last 10 years, we lost my grandfather, then his first born, my mom at 61, her sister around the same age, who was my backboard for all things back to my mom, my grandfather on my dad's side, a guy who always made me feel like I was telling him something new even though he had been around the world twice with the Navy in the Korean War and lived more than many men through so much and then my other aunt at 63, a person who loved and helped so many, and then my father. There is no escaping we will all die. And yes, some can say this or that about being fortunate that we had these people; I mean, for good people who loved us, of course we are fortunate. No one is thankful that they had an asshole in their life. ha. I just happened to have my podcasts lined up and the recent one was our relationship with death. This podcast just happened to coincide with my morning reading.....a new chapter....one that I wasnt expecting. I have been reading this book and like 9 others over the past 5 years and I sure didn't expect this chapter...This was the first page and it sure did draw me in.
Bob
CHAPTER 17
Contemplating death
It is truly a great cosmic paradox that one of the best teachers in all of _ life turns out to be death. No person or situation could ever teach you as much as death has to teach you. While someone could tell you that you are not your body, death shows you. While someone could remind you of the insignificance of the things that you cling to, death takes them all away in a second. While people can teach you that men and women of all races are equal and that there is no difference between the rich and the poor, death instantly makes us all the same.
The question is, are you going to wait until that last moment to let death be your teacher? The mere possibility of death has the power to teach us at any moment. A wise person realizes that at any moment they may breathe out, and the breath may not come back in. It could happen any time, in any place, and your last breath is gone. You have to learn from this. A wise being completely and totally embraces the reality, the inevitability, and the unpredictability of death.
Any time you're having trouble with something, think of death.
Two of my favorites...in Mom Mom's kitchen in Darby...during Christmas. We had love, we had joy. That is for sure. I am so grateful these two women were part of my journey. In my heart I continuet to carry their memories....and their huge, loving personalities.
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