Sunday, May 8, 2011

Inconvenient Truth: Death Happens to Everyone

Death is something that everyone is going to experience at some point in their lives, hopefully later rather than sooner. However, I feel I always take life for granted. I just assume that all the people that I care so deeply about in my life will always be there. It has become part of my knowledge that certain teachers, friends, and family members will ALWAYS be there. The truth is that they won't. No one is there forever. I mean I guess there are certain people that are really influential in your life and will always reamin in your heart, but not everyone will physically be in your life forever.
A couple of weeks ago in english class, we were talking about how people forget that we die. I realize that one day I will no longer be here, which is why I want to make as big of a difference as I can while I'm here, but my problem is that I forget that other people won't always be here. This assumption is slowly becoming clear to me that I am wrong.
In Hands-of-Peace both years that I was part of it, we always had this wonderful speech by Ron Miller. He talked about accepting different religions and people and most importantly the house of consciousness. He taught us how to get from the basement level to the roof and how to go beyond just tolerating. I heard earlier this week that Ron Miller had died. I never knew him on a personal level. However, I really admired the work he was doing and thoroughly enjoyed his speech he gave us every year. When I learned of his death, it made me realize that I need to stop taking other people's precense in my life for granted.
This incident really forced me to relook at my belief that everyone is going to be in my life forever. In reality, no one will be in my life forever. It has made me realize that I need to enjoy every moment with each person in my life and stop taking things for granted.
Losing people really bothers me, especially loved ones. Why can't everyone special just stay with you forever? Is that really a crime? After exploring this in more depth, I really believe that everyone special DOES stay with you forever. However, a lot of times they stay with you in ways you don't necessarily realize. For example, maybe they changed your beliefs, showed you how to look at something differently or do something differently, and they'll always be in your heart and mind.
On the other hand, I don't want to be some freak always thinking about death, but I want to find a middle ground. A place inbetween thinking everyone is always going to be there and thinking about losing everyone. I just want to enjoy every moment to the fullest, so the next time I hear some dear in my life has passed away, I will be able to look at the good memories and not be taken by surprise by death.
Therefore, I can come to terms with people dying by enjoying every moment in life at the present, not worrying about the future and later not regreting the past.

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