THE INEVITABLE END

I can not get comfortable with death.

It is ever present. As a Christian, the process of dying is the most central experience of life, it is the truth of the continuity of life. The soul will not die, it will live and continue into ongoing life.

Over the past few weeks several weeks it appears that death is everywhere. Former classmates, older friends the parents of at least four friends and a few members of the Knights of Columbus have passed on.

My children have three great grand parents and four grand-parents. They are so lucky. I never knew my great-grandparents.

I can not imagine, let alone prepare for the loss of a parent. Over the past couple of years both my parents have had serious cancer scares. Fortunately, treatment and surgeries were successful.  My dad’s diagnosis came as a shock because he is the healthy one. Mom has always had health problems, the result of poor genes and a life time of smoking that has limited her ability to commit to a physical regime.

Death is inevitable. For most of us we will not when, how or why. I can not imagine being prepared  the stress and loss of control that accompanies such emotional times.

The only advice or preparation that I can think of is to resolve any unresolved issues. If you have things that need saying, questions that need answering, or old hurts that need to be mended, resolve them while you still have time.

To my friends who have lost parents over the past few weeks, my thoughts and prayers are with you.