Finale

I’m in my 50s and nobody ever warned me about this period of life .  It’s blindingly obvious when you think about it  ~  if I’m older ，then those who came before me are even more so . 

But the truth is ，even if I’d thot it thru intellectually ，I’d have missed the emotional impact .  My elders are dying .

This isn’t a mid-life crisis ，I have no desire to tie my graying hair into a pony-tail and ride a Harley into the sunset .  Nor is it a growing awareness of my own mortality ，I’ve faced death in various forms and the cowl and scythe act didn’t impress me . Dying is as much a part of the deal as anything else in life . It’s a package ,  and even in the age of unbundling ，the grim reaper is there waiting for all of us .  Such is life ....

For the last few years ，every few months has seen the passing of one elder in my extended family and circle of frds . Phone calls in the middle of the nite have a new meaning .

Some of these deaths were expected ，and in the end ，finally embraced with relief .  Others came suddenly and the mind and emotions reel in shock . One moment the world is one way ，and in the next it’s gone awry . The impact is mind numbingly deep ，it all loses focus ， even who I am .  My place in the world shifts and skitters within the new context .  As survivor I am diminished by the death of everyone with whom I once shared time and laughter .

How to cope ?  Live as if each meeting is the last .  Not in a morbid sense ，but in extracting each instant of enjoyment from each gathering of frds or family .

Yup ，Yesterday is gone ，Tomorrow may never come ，all there is now .  This moment . Revel in it . Remember the hug ，cherish the handshake  ~  Enjoy the day !!!