It Was Time To Say Good-Bye

It is not death that one should fear, but rather one should fear never beginning to live.
Marcus Aurelius

From a playful post to a more somber one. I don't talk that much in this blog about the specifics of my job or my past work experiences. Well today I feel the need too and share some things. My passion for living life has developed in part because I have worked hospice in my past and have been with people when they die. People always respond to this revelation with it must have been so depressing. Not that often, rather it taught me to affirm life.

We lost 3 people in my clinic in a 24 hour period. One had to leave and go have a procedure after a problem with her treatment. A couple of hours later we received a call she had died of a heart attack. The other 2 were also unexpected, but happened at their homes. It shook many of our staff up. My office becomes a refuge in times like these. Probably because it is filled with photographs I have took to celebrate life, a harp, plants and treats. Not to mention some very comfortable chairs. After these things happen, the question is why them? The only answer I have is that for some reason it was their time to say goodbye. There is no special knowledge I that I have developed about why people suddenly leave us, only their time has come. The only thing I do know is that they have taught me to celebrate the time I'm given, never take it for granted and to not fear death when my time comes. Without getting into a dissertation on my ideas and beliefs, I'll say simply that I think it's a transition in being and that it is a change. We fear change, but the things I have experienced with people before, the moment in which they die and even the aftermath have taught me there is something bigger then us and it's not to be feared. People ask what about sadness....the grief. Of course there is sadness/grief when we've been separated physically from someone we cared about and/or loved. The lesson is to work through it and again value the time we still share with others.

So enough for tonight. Hug the ones you care about, celebrate the time you have here and go learn, live and love.

Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis, "Eternal Source of Light Divine":