The demands of living

# Chapter 174

There is death for all of us. Last night my son-in-law’s dad passed away. There is no escape from death for any of us. It will come to each of us. Most ignore this truth and believe it will never happen to them. But that gets more and more difficult to believe as you get older and older and more of your friends and enemies cross over to the other side of eternity. The minutes are ticking and our time is limited. Best to get things in order, for this comes to you and me for certain.

My dad is a big believer in this. We have already chosen his casket, funeral, grave site, head stone, etc etc. My son-in-law is having to make all those kinds of decisions today because his dad refused to prepare for this certainty. It’s a really shitty way to leave things for those you say you love. There is no rushing it, but there is also no stopping it, our days are numbered. Don’t be an idiot and cause even more pain to those left behind by refusing to take care of the details of your passing.

But there is another side of dying that is much more difficult to address and one that my dad doesn’t do nearly as well - living. The certainty of death should make living all the more precious and important and high priority. But unlike the details of dying, the details of living are messy and difficult and often vague. There is no checklist of things to take care of and buy and decide. Living requires much more of us. Living requires an engagement in the present and future that becomes increasingly more challenging if you are sick or infirmed in some fashion and most of us will be. Living demands much more of us than dying - share the love you have to give, and all the love you can receive, thoughtfulness, depth, kindness, joy, happiness, and peace you can give and take.

Death is certain, life far less so. Make appropriate plans.