Death gets a bum rap

[johnpalmer]

Today is the day that many Christians celebrate the most important lessong Jesus brought to them: that doing what's right, and what's necessary, is enough. Death itself is not a reason to fear doing what's right, because doing right is more important, and more powerful, than death.

But there's more.

Death gets a bum rap. People say that it's the grim reaper, the destroyer of families, the enemy we must all struggle against. Do not go gently into that good night, and all.

And it's not.

What is death?

It's the end of our journey. It's our final home.

What do people say home is, after all? Home is where, when you have nowhere else to go, they have to take you in.

Death does not pull at us; death does not hunger for us; death does not attack us and hope to destroy us.

No. Those things are done by things that occur on *this* side. Death is not our enemy, because death is on the other side.

The enemy is despair, and hatred, and indifference. The enemy is all the thinking and unthinking cruelty that attacks us here, while we're alive.

Death is not a grim reaper, ready to yank us away. Death is the kindly homemaker who creates a space for us all, when we can no longer continue our journey through life.

It's a sad job, I'm sure, and a lonely one, and it leaves death as hated and reviled by many who don't understand. And still death labors on, to make room and comfort for us all, whether our time comes at the end of a long, fulfilled life, or whether our life is cut unfairly short.

"Death, be not proud"? Death should be proud indeed... for it is life that is unjust.

Comments

[wolfette]

Thanks, John, this one goes in the Memories for me.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, and thank you for letting me know.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

I thought I'd already come to terms with death and dying, but what with situations locally and nationally, mortality has been much on my mind lately. And I've realized that I do have some fears: I fear dying helpless, for instance, or alone.

But death itself? No, that doesn't frighten me; as you so wisely note, death isn't the enemy. It's surcease.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Nod. If it's within my power, of course, you will not die alone, and certainly not helplessly. But then... it kinda hurts to realize how few things are within the power of us mere mortals, doesn't it?

[kightp.livejournal.com]

*smile* Watch out, darlin', or I'll give make you the party responsible for the carrying out clause in my living will that says "If Tom DeLay so much as looks in my direction, I wish to be turned into a zombie so I can rip his fucking head off."

[barbarakitten-t.livejournal.com]

damn, john...thank you

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

You're always welcome, darlin'.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Yes. Thank you.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

You're welcome... and thank you.

[koriandre.livejournal.com]

Thank you, John. This is wonderful. And thank you, kitten, for linking to it.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome; Kitten is wonderful isn't she? :-)

[koriandre.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed she is. :)

[iamjw.livejournal.com]

*hug*

That was beautiful.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and *hugs* back at you.