| ANNE WILLIAMSON |
I'm not someone who generally thinks a lot about death. But, lately, I've been thinking about it more. Having a child started the ball rolling, with its accompanying SIDS and baby proofing and writing of the will. Then, a young family friend died suddenly, and I officiated the wedding of another family friend whose father almost died. Neighbors have or are in the process of saying goodbye to their beloved dog, and shootings are rampant in the city. Death is here; it is an unshakable part of life.
Maybe, then, it's worth thinking about. Not all the time, but sometimes and not just when it is thrust upon us. I don't wish for death - for myself and more so for the ones I love, for the ones anyone loves. But, I also don't want to live in fear of it or miss its lessons. LISTEN, LEARN, LOVE...
“Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.”
Sit with these words a moment. Reread them. What do you hear? What's stirring? Keep listening...
Watch these two short videos capturing unique responses to death.
Super Soul Sunday: Dani Shapiro's Spiritual Lesson From Her Mother's Death
What do you think? What have been your responses to death? Keep remembering and listening...
Set a loving intention out of what's stirring in you. My suggestion: Death can be a great teacher. Consider those who have died in your life. What did you learn from them through their life and their death? What lessons might be there still? Be open to what may come. Live from there.
And, if you live in the Indianapolis area and want to dive a bit deeper... Contemplative Outreach of Indianapolis' 2014/2015 Program is on this subject: The Gift of Life - Death & Dying, Life & Living by Father Thomas Keating. It starts September 13. Contact Marilyn Webb for more information.