Death and Dying

I've been thinking about it. I've been reading about it. I've been living it.

Have you ever read "Tuesday's with Morrie?" If not, I HIGHLY recommend it. It's awesome. I won't even tell you what it's about. But it's a short read.

Another good one: "The Last Lecture." Have tissues handy. Both books will make you cry.

But, death is a part of life and life is a part of death. Each day we live, we are closer to the day we die. Is anyone ever ready for it? I'm not sure. Taking Morrie's advice though - I stop more frequently and smell the roses. I look for the little things. In this highly electronic socially acceptable age, we do less face-to-face contact and more texts and social networking.

It makes a person wonder. Just because you are a "friend"on my social network - what ARE you? Do you call me to see how I am doing? Do you send me a card in the mail on my birthday? Or are you glad when that social network "reminds" you it's my birthday so that you can write a message on my home page? I'm guilty of it myself, I know.

But, we are human beings - we need contact - interaction with REAL PEOPLE.

So....this is how it works (for me, in my mind):

When I die, don't come to my funeral if you haven't seen me - or sent me a card - or done something more substantial than e-mail or message me. If that is the only way you know me anymore....it's not enough. I don't want that. I want you to care while I'm alive. Not when I am dead. When I am dead, you can pray for me - but don't make a show of how you knew me "back then."

I'm in agreement with my grandma: Don't spend money on flowers when I'm dead (what a waste!), instead, give them to me while I'm alive - so that's what I do - take my grandma flowers. Sometimes "just because" and sometimes for a reason. Sunday night she got flowers (in lieu of sending them to the funeral home) and I told her these were because she's my uncle's mom. I think that meant more than any flower/gift/plant I could have sent.

Along those same lines, no big shows. My funeral is not the time to "go all out" and spend more money than necessary. Nope. Don't do it. As a matter of fact, I think when I die, I would prefer that only my immediate family be there. They have been raised in the Lord and nothing that anyone could say compares to the fact that they would know that I was resting with Our Lord. I think that it would ease my soul to know that there weren't people there that were using my death to get sympathy for themselves.

Death. It's a sad thing for the living. But for those that have gone before us and now live with Christ....well, what could compare?