Love and Death

© 2009 Constance Hobbs. All rights reserved.

Last night as I went to bed there was a gentle spring rain tapping against the roof. As I lie there listening to its sweet melodic sound, I thought about how rain gives one permission to stay inside and indulge in comfort as apposed to sunny days that beckon one outdoors and to activity. So, there I was comfortable in bed, listening to the rain and contemplating death. One of my children told me she had a nightmare the night before, dreaming about her own demise. It was the first time this child realized that she was going to die. I thought about the miracle of life, existence and death. What a mystery it is to be alive and then to die. Forget about the big bang, what was there before? Putting God aside, I thought, how did we all get here? How did all this happen? What is the impetus behind life? What does this all mean? This inconceivably massive Universe with all its celestial activity going on all the time and we hardly seem to notice. I like to play a trick on myself every time I have a problem that I find overwhelming. I remind myself that I am standing on a ball, spinning at 1000 miles per hour, hanging in black space, and falling. Not to mention that it looks like we have no support besides the miracle of gravity. And if we fell, where would we fall to? That just puts that little ole problem of mine in perspective. So, I told my daughter that death is with us all the time. Life and creation and death and destruction. The spring leaves are delicate, vulnerable and new every year only shortly to turn glorious colors before their death. I told her death is a natural part of life and that nature is supportive, good, and takes care of her own. So death is nothing to fear and if birth is considered good then so is death. Why would death be any different? The main point is not to get hung up on death, because then you will waste this precious gift of life which we are all sharing. So, I made a mental note to laugh a lot today and I suggested to my daughter that she might do the same.