November 15, 2011
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DEATH
DEATH
Think about death much? The grim reaper? The last hoorah? Last ticket on the Glory Train”? No? Lie much?? We, as a species, are more prone and assessable to death than a three legged Caribou in Alaska during Winter. We are stalked by drunk drivers, serial killers, pissed spouses and terrorist. Diseases abound in variety like the listings on the menu board at McDonald’s.
I don’t want to beat this issue to death but for the life of me I would die for some solid feed back even if it kills me!…That’s right, we use words. Common expressions, colloquialisms, catch phrases and puns as our barrier to death. All of us in one thought or another make reference to death a dozen times a day. Turn on the news for 30 minutes and count the references. Our favorite TV shows are “plot focused” on mayhem! Video games????…….more like D-Day with a joy stick and controller. Earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis, hurricanes and floods. I won’t even get into wars. This is the point……we live immersed in death. All around us. We talk about it everyday. Everyday. But do we think about it?
Our death? The death of our loved ones? Our friends? Nope. There’s plenty of time to think about it as soon as we determine what will happen after we die. Then we can ready ourselves mentally and spiritually. So, we watch Jimmy Swaggart, Oprah, the Discovery channel, Dr. Phil, and many others in order to fill this need whether it’s spiritual or mental, (redundant maybe). We peek into all the religions of the world and mind shop as if we were shopping on the internet for some sort of satisfaction to our floundering beliefs. What religion has the best benefits after death? Will I have to ride a giant turtle forever or live in an over crowded palace with monkey kings? Will I live on as a ground hog or maybe horse fly? Worst, will I be held captive, eternally, at a fish fry for Republican fundraisers or maybe a Summer camp in Oregon for tree hugging Democrats. Multiple choice? I don’t think so. Being philosophical, death is the road, life is the traveler and the soul is the guide. Feel good thought with no real answers.
Most people have three questions in regards to post mortem:
1. Where will I be?
2. What will I be?
3. Will my loved ones be there?The only time we formulate questions is when we hope there will be answers. We know our great aunt Gert is not coming back to fill us in. We understand there are hundreds of religions and cults in the world with their own slants. God speaks to no one now a days but did leave a plethora of notes concerning the issue centuries ago that have been interpreted, edited and stylized to embrace the ravings of a multitude of prophets through out history. That bright light at the end of the tunnel for many was only the headlights of the semi before it plowed them into car parts. Another world? Dominion? Spiritual sanctuary? Don’t know and don’t have proof to the contrary. Seems we all have to come to our own conclusion. There is one irrefutable answer that I do endorse…….no one knows!
I have experienced war……survived cancer……endured heart attacks; I have not gleamed any evidence as to the “other side.” But….to answer the question about death is to answer the question about life. I do know that at the moment my life passes, with my very last gift of breath, I will be able to answer the question with a very simple thought…….“it is done”.
I will pass, that’s ordained,
In a blink, without refrain.
My farewell, never said,
Your farewell, to this newly dead.
My box, carried shoulder high,
To flowered site, there to lie.
The sob, the broken sigh,
Last words, then goodbye.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
Just let me rest, in fallow deep.
All my love, I left there to dwell,
Like a comfort, embracing veil.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
It was my time, to finally die!
I live, as husband, father and son,
With final thought, it is done.
Charlie
Comments (22)
I suppose I am the death grip of denial. Gratitude fills my days and that’s because I am so glad to still be alive.
Great post. Outstanding poem. A view of the dark side does a body good every now and then.
I wish the format would allow me to read all of this. The frame cuts off the end of the sentences in my view.
love reading this … i think about the concept of death every now and then (I’m getting to that age where death seems closer than it used to be – ha) … but then i’m off to something more pressing …
… gotta love adult ADHD! 
I freakin LOVE this song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s a really cool blog too.
I make a point of thinking about death as often as possible. It’s good. It helps to counterbalance cravings and aversions. ETC.
The three questions are interesting, as for “me” I do not think there will be an “I” anymore, “I” will cease to exist and as for seeing others, I think it’s more like a love and a merging thing. My soul mate (whom I’m not with right now, nor have been for years but we still are) he thinks our love will transcend death.
I think it will, but I don’t think I mean it the same way he does.
Now I know this was totally confusing comment for most people to read, sorry! cool post!
Cancer, war, and heart attacks. Youre invincible!
I like Wordsworth’s “Thanatopsis.”
Bryant wrote it. LOL, my mother recited the last paragraph and said it was Wordsworth. … I still always say he wrote it after knowing different.
Great post. I actually think about what’ll happen when my dog dies. I do not look forward to that day; sometimes I cry myself to sleep thinking about it. No lie.
yeah, I’m having problems reading all of it as well. I love the song that accompanies.
I refuse to think about it until it jumps up and drags me by the hair on my head to where ever I have to go. It will have to take me screaming and kicking because, despite the plethora of things that are not right with the world, I like it here. Very interesting post….well done. Peace
Well worth the time and effort to not only contemplate but prepare for. Well said.
Very thoughtful post. When I was younger, I suppose I did ask all the questions one normally asks. But I reached a point where I’m no longer worried about it. I don’t know what happens after we die and, it seems to me, it really doesn’t matter much. Better to focus on life right now and live it as well as we can than to worry about something over which we have no real control.
Hey, Charlie, I wonder whether Veterans Day got you thinking. I survived that same miserable war and have done the cancer thing (twice] but am cancer-free these days, the docs tell me. I had a super Veterans Day at the Wall and hope to post something soon. You take care, Ray
@RakkaRay - Please do post something about the wall. Means a lot to many of us.
@christao408 -
Lifes a lot tougher than any death.
@shellisland Really good comment….Thanks!!
@godfatherofgreenbay - What causes that, do you know?
@DivaJyoti - Great comment!!!
That is a great poem. And the song is awesome.
I don’t think about death very often, but sometimes as I’m falling to sleep or while I’m dreaming I have the sensation that I’m separating from the physical world and it scares the bejeezus out of me. It’s kind of invigorating, almost, but unlike some other intriguing emotions I cannot willfully duplicate it. Or maybe I don’t want to. I think I wrote a blog about this a while back, but the question of what comes after death is sort of similar to what comes before birth. I always have the two questions coincide in my mind. Is there something after and was there something before? Anyway, like you said, we don’t know until it happens.
very sobering. good post
I figure when we die, one of three things will happen. 1.) Nothingness 2.) “Oh wow! Boy oh boy!.” 3. “Uh ohhhh”
Love the poem.
@UncCharlie - Got that post about Vets Day at the Wall up this morning - it’s just waiting for you!