Letting Death be a Reminder to LIVE

A good friend of mine wrote me last week to tell me that her husband's best friend had died suddenly- doing something he loved- (probably of an aneurysm, during a spin class, if you must know). His name was Tim.

Here are my thoughts on Tim and on lifetimes,

We are blessed/cursed with never knowing how long it will be, this precious opportunity to be "in body". It's funny, the way we pretend that it's never going to happen, mourn a death, die a little ourselves when someone we love leaves us. BUT, as living organisms, it is the only inevitable we have. It is the one thing that we can safely predict, that all living things will reach an end to their lifetime and then they will nurture with their physical remains, or the impact they had on others, new or continued life.
Having kids means facing your fears about death. I talk to my kids about it- enough that it is a constant open dialogue- so they won't be afraid of it. I say- everything that is living will eventually die- everything and everybody has a life span. We do not know how long our life will be, because some things are just meant to remain a mystery. Embedded in the message is the feeling that every day that we are alive should be a cherished gift and an opportunity to celebrate. When we do go, we will feel like we devoured life, appreciating every breath, every caress, every kiss, every sweet-smelling flower, every violet sunset, every golden sunrise- we will have lost sleep to witness meteor showers, soothing sick children, dancing and drinking too much, taking trans oceanic flights to reach distant shores and new experiences. We will have experienced the rush of adrenaline from our first time driving fast, climbing high, sailing in a gale force and, of course, pushing ourselves in at least one amazing spin class.

We will have loved every second of this life, wasting little time. When our friends leave us, they are giving us the GREATEST GIFT- that is, to remind us of the opportunities we have been blessed with by being born human.

IN CELEBRATION OF TIM- I say- Good job in having a GREAT LIFE and in sharing your gifts with so many that you will nurture their soil in order for them to bloom another day.