Perspective I

Death is not a subject that most people would be comfortable speaking about. Matter of fact it is a topic of distaste or dread. One would expect a elderly citizen to speak candidly about death, final expenses, service arrangements and inheritances to their loved ones. Not to the parents of a critically ill newborn or a high school athelete at his/her prime. But death has no such boundaries as age or timing. It is its own entity.

Even if death is soon expected no one really feels prepared for it when it arrives. The very thought of having to deal with the loss and separation of a loved one (related or otherwise) truly is unnerving. However, it is a very real part of our existence. Everything has its time to die or to live; to be born or turn an age; just like the seasons every part of our lives has a silent order that we can neither control nor predict. We can only weather the course as our circumstances dictate.

We are quickly approaching the winter holiday season. For Christians (people who believe and worship Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior) it is a time for festivities, which often spread outwardly to different circles of people. So don't be surprised if all of a sudden a stranger may ask to pay for your morning cup of coffee..it could happen. Even though our calendar was adopted from the early Romans, the exact date of the birth of Christ is not known but we set aside December 25th every year as a day of remembrance and celebration that Christ came to earth to rescue all who will accept Him from sin and death. In this case death has a dual meaning the first is the natural death that 99.885% of us will face when our physical body is separated from the living soul that was housed within it; and secondly a spiritual death which is existence (short and tormented) without God. Those who choose not to accept Christ essential reject Him and He honors their choice. God does not send people to Hell. People send themselves.

I could base a dissertation on that alone but that is really not my point. My focus is solely on the physical death of a human being and the gifts that experience can bring. Yes I said gifts. Not all gifts are good nor desired but death leaves each of us, who have had the pleasure (sarcasm) of dealing with it, something we hadn't had before. Why would I bring up such a morbid topic on the eve of Holiday Season? Good question. Better answer...

-sj