We sometimes rush through the story to read the ending. Sometimes we’re satisfied, sometimes we’re not. The need for a conclusion, yet we never read nor talk about the ending of a life unless a need that overwhelms becomes the goal.
Every morning, a turkey vulture flies over my house. I thank him, and I think. We need to explore, we need to manipulate the life to reach the death. We need to think about it. I’m watching people die, some slow, some quickly. Futures measured out in somewhat concrete terms. What space will be traversed as well in increments? What insight, what relevance, what important things will be discovered.
It’s well to look ourselves in the eyes of life and death upon occasion. Astounding to find that we often can. Unnoticed, a lump discovered on a collarbone and nervous fingers fail to find the corresponding nodule on the other side. A moment of discovery to take advantage of; to revel in the calmness and immediate decisions that are made. Glory in the finding of the matching culprit. But knowledge gained, and strength stored for another time.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
Susan, a beautifully stated exploration of the duality of life and death. Thank you.
Living in sight of death increases the intensity of life.
Beautifully stated.
Amen. I search for those corresponding lumps, metaphorical or otherwise, all the time.