A small graveyard
In the heat of an August morning we hiked a trail, my children and myself, and stumbled unexpectedly on this little graveyard. It was surrounded by a brick wall and a rod iron fence locked with a chain. The headstones appeared to be hundreds of years old and the wall protecting them seemed to signify importance.
Our journey on the trails of our lives will unexpectedly one day stumble upon death and it will be unavoidable when that day comes. Our life will then be marked by a single stone with our name and a date. All that we have done, thought, experienced and witnessed will be marked with a stone hopefully one respected enough to be protected by a brick wall, and a chained rod iron fence.
Many of us avoid the thought of our demise at any cost. We do not deal well with our mortality. After all we are still alive and kicking right? Why talk about death in the middle of life? Death is part of life. Just as birth is a transition into new life so then is death from this world to the next one. If we one day will stumble upon our own death then we should live our lives as if it could be tomorrow, to some degree. We feel so immortal sometimes, untouchable but the cold hard fact is everyone will die at some point in time that is not known to any of us. Are you prepared? Are you living your life to the fullest? Are you trying to be the best person you can possibly be? Have you said you were sorry to those you hurt? Have you forgiven those who have hurt you? Are you trying to be a kind and loving person? If we are not trying our best in life and death finds us “prematurely” we will have no time to prepare.
Now is the time to prepare, not the funeral plans and your will, although important, but your soul. Live life more fully, love more openly, give more generously be kinder to everyone and try to be the best person you can be. Without notice it will happen and we will all find ourselves in that little graveyard. Today start preparing for death by living life to the fullest.
Great post Lori.
After going through hospice with my grandpop almost two years ago, I thought a lot about the unfinished business of life. It’s important to handle it now, keeping short accounts with God and others.
Thank you for the beautiful reminder.
Lori,
I appreciate you for sharing your experiences.