Death Wakes Us Up

Tractormansavestheday

Published on April 20, 2004 By Joan of Arc In Misc

A friend of mine died today unexpectedly–a single car roll-over crash. How do you prepare for something like this? Here and healthy and active, then gone, and leaving a gapping hole.

How could his wife or 6 children have prepared for this? Life insurance companies would suggest that their product prepares you. I don’t think so.

Death is so strange. To me it seems like an aberration, like something that should not happen. The truth is that it happens to every living thing that grows on the earth, so it seems like it should be “normal”. Why does it seem so abnormal?

“It’s part of life”, we say. Ahhhh...does that make sense?

Each time someone close to me dies, it reminds me to appreciate the life of those around me. I’ve told my wife at least 3 times today that I’m glad she’s alive. I’ll probably say it a few more times before I go to sleep tonight. I will probably tell her I love her a few times also. And the kids. I tell them everyday, but it seems more meaningful today.

Tractorman

Comments (Page 2)

Joan of Arc

on Apr 22, 2004

Wow. I feel like I just had an accident. That sounds like a REALLY traumatic event.

Once again, glad to have you.

Tractorman

dharmagrl

on Apr 22, 2004

It was, sort of. It took me a while to feel confident driving again, and even now the prospect of having to drive in the snow or ice can reduce me to tears. I had some good therapy when my husband was home on leave though...we went together to look at the truck in the junkyard (he wasn't able to come home after the wreck so he hadn't seen it up close and personal)...and I sat in the drivers seat and bawled whilst he held my hand. It was what I needed, dig? It chased away a lot of nightmares I'd been having.. anyway, that's not what this blog is about.

Death is unatural to us because we have, somewhere down the line, stopped treating it as a normal part of life. I personally think that we should embrace death and the dying process - but that's the Buddhist in me talking.

Joan of Arc

on Apr 22, 2004

we went together to look at the truck in the junkyard (he wasn't able to come home after the wreck so he hadn't seen it up close and personal)...and I sat in the drivers seat and bawled whilst he held my hand.

As long as we're off track......I was in a junkyard last week getting some parts for our Safari Van. Whenever I go to the "graveyard" of cars, it sends my mind on a journey to recreate what happened in these cars in the last moments. It's hard for me not to do--I look at the little toys in the back, the remains of fast food wrappers, perhaps an empty bottle of wine. It's erie (sp?) but I can't help it. I can't help glancing around for blood or hair. The stories in such a yard are devastating, and many of them are the symbolic object where at a point in time a family was changed. I REALLY digress.

I suppose the point of all that is that it's neat to hear of your situation that actually brought more depth to your life. You're a different person, and MORE alive now than before. What a paradox.

Death is unatural to us because we have, somewhere down the line, stopped treating it as a normal part of life. I personally think that we should embrace death and the dying process - but that's the Buddhist in me talking.

That may be the Buddhist in you, but it is the Christian way also--not that we always do it well.

Tractorman

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!