Facing Death

I've always been a thinker. Taking a Myer's-Briggs Test I come up as a INTJ. A scientist, mastermind, or philosopher. One that observes it's world quietly and thinks up possibility upon each outcome, a long-range thinker.

About decade ago I thought for the first time, "People spend their whole life avoiding death. The funny thing is - as soon as you take your first breath, you begin to die."

I found this extremely clever and would share this with others with a little smirk. Some found this depressing. Others thought it morbid, making them cock their heads and wonder if I'm seeing a shrink...or deciding that I should.

As dark as that thought is for a preteen to have, that statement is true. Furthermore, if you desire to truly live, you must be learn to face death.

Almost a year ago a friend of a friend passed away due to a sudden accident.

I wrote a blog in response, titled aptly "YOLO" as was the popular phrase.

A reminder that no one knows when the last grain of sand will drop through the hourglass.






Again, today I write about death and living. Instead of a reminder of the impending death, this post is about embracing death - the small personal pains we go through daily.

Let's describe living, beyond the logical "to not be dead". Even dictionary.com describes living as "thriving".  I would add "growing, learning, giving, and loving" to the mix.

The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, MD defines,

"the act of love - extending oneself...The price of [investing time/energy in someone or something] is pain...Move out or grow in any dimension and pain as well as joy will be your reward. A full life will be full of pain."

A well quoted statement from C.S. Lewis:

"To love at all is to vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin or your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken, it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."

As a psychiatrist, Peck believes that at the root of all emotional illness is the attempt to avoid legitimate suffering.  We can run from it, seal our hearts off to not feel anything. Or, you can do the brave thing and face death.

Life is change. No matter how much I long for steadiness, there will always be unknowns, mistakes, and the glorious opportunity for growth.

I pray that you can look in the mirror and be willing to live, be willing to change and grow.
Because at the core of an abundant life, is a death. (John 10:10, Galatians 2:20)