While we’re alive

I’ve had death on the mind a lot the past month.  Morbid, I know, but true.  A year ago one of my friends (who nearly died herself) dad died in a tragic accident at work.  I’ve watched how the family has responded and spoken of him since then.  My uncle Jim also passed away a year ago on November 22nd and I think of him every single day (and my 4 year old prays for him every night to come back alive).

And now my neighbor, who has been battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, just passed away this week after a pretty rough year.  I’m so incredibly grateful for the knowledge death isn’t the end.  There’s no doubt in my mind we’ll all see each other again after we die.

Living next door to a friend who has been told he has limited time on earth, I’ve had the rare opportunity to watch how this has unfolded with the people he loves.  His friends.  His family.  His coworkers.  His wife.  His neighbors.

Cars roll in.  Cars roll out.  People come. People go.  Friends, neighbors, strangers drop everything they’re doing to see him one last time.  To serve their family.  To DO things for them regardless of the busy schedules they may have.  And I watch.  And I found myself wondering…..

What would life be like, what would the world be like, if we treated people every.single.day the way we would treat them if we knew they would die soon.  Today.  Tomorrow.  In the immediate future.

Vulnerability comes out.  Walls go down.  People say things they otherwise wouldn’t say and do things they maybe otherwise wouldn’t do because we generally seem to be afraid to open up and let someone in like that.  To tell people how we really feel.  To tell people, every day, how much we appreciate and value them.  How much we love them.

I wonder what the world would be like if we didn’t wait until we knew someone was dying to DO the nice things we think of doing and SAY the nice things we think of saying. Instead of thinking it and not acting. And thinking it and not saying it. The world would change I think. People would change. And life would maybe feel a little bit easier.

That’s the whole point anyway.  Learning to GIVE Love and BE Loved.  Not because we are dying but because we are living.  That alone would change the world.

Thank you for sharing this journey with all of us Mel.  You have no idea how much your unwavering faith and grace has helped those around you.