Living Your Life

It never occured to me that talking about death would elicit so many facial ticks!

Recently, I asked several friends who they wanted to have speak at their funeral. Who would tell their stories and make people wish they would have known them more? Harmless... uplifting, I thought... but no...

I forgot.

I forgot how scary death is to people. And I think I know why. Maybe because of our fears of not really living. Of course we are all alive... breathing, at least. But who is ceasing the day? I see my death as number line. I don't know how many little ticky marks there are left, but I know that there will be a final one. This line gives me something to think about when I choose what's imporant, where I'll spend my time and energy, who I'll let walk away. I don't see death as a looming evil waiting to take my last breath, but a reminder that time is slipping by whether we like it or not. And while we all have the same twenty-four hours, am I making it count?

Someone mentioned the Secret and Bad JuJu by bringing up the "D" word. Here's the real Secret... you WILL die and saying it out loud isn't going to make it go away. I think it's funny that we will walk through life and put so much time and energy into buying or having or consuming, but talk about celebrating a life you dared live and people get freaked. "Teach me to number my days aright, Oh Lord." It's a prayer... not a curse.

I challenge you as I have challenged myself to live a life that matters.