Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Death all around
Maybe it's a season but recently there seems to be deaths all around me. It started in our own family with grandmother, but over the summer I knew of 4 others, and just this month 2 more. It has me thinking about the fragility of life. One day a person you know is here and then their not. Right before Joe left for Tanzania this summer I had the thoughts that he was going to die. I started thinking of what life without my spouse would be like. I was devastated. What would I do, where would I live? I think these things are good to think about ahead of time but not get too caught up in them. I kept telling myself to calm down and change the subject in my head. Thankfully nothing happened to Joe on his trip and my worries where just that, and lines added to my face that weren't needed!
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you are not alone, Elena. as Americans (can't speak for anyone else...) we are terrified of death. we can not control it, there is no redo, and it is often unannounced. can we ever be prepared? when you were worried about Joe, is there any amount of thought that could prepare you? of course not. it's not incredible that we are the only species that does not "know" when we are going to die. we do not have instincts as other animals do. we do not think so far ahead as to prepare the place of our death. our human minds 'trick' us into thinking we are immortal. i don't think we could function in a world in which we are all constantly ready to go at any moment. but there surely is something to be said about 'being at peace' with death. i had a professor in college who told us she doesn't concern herself with dieing, that death is just the next step, it's another adventure. that may be comforting for those close to death but what about us who are left to live without them? that is often the hardest part about being alive. having to say goodbye.
sorry, the comment is much longer then the post...this subject is really interesting to me. what are your thoughts?
eric
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