New Beginnings and Endings

Beginnings and Endings
Somebody died this week. A neighbor of mine just died suddenly. She hadn’t been sick or given any indication that her life was about to end but it did suddenly. It just happened. We came back from a short trip and someone told us that she had died. It was a terrible shock.

She was a wife, mother and grandmother, a sister, daughter, friend, actress, and I’m sure many other things to many people. I don’t know how she got along with her family. I don’t know if she had resolved issues with her children about old grievances. I don’t know if she had prepared herself for the possibility even though it could happen any time.
But I hope she did.

I wonder if she had anyone that she had wanted to call but put it off. She probably got busy and thought there would always be time. She may have had someone she wanted to thank but never got around to it. She would do it tomorrow. She probably had many things she wanted to do, but would take care of them tomorrow. Now her family and friends will get together to mourn her passing and celebrate her life.

We are unprepared for death even though it is inevitable. We don’t think about it and certainly don’t talk about it. There are so many other things to do. But her sudden death reminds me of all the "stuff" I want to sort out, people I want to call, cards and letters I want to send, family and friends I want to tell that I love them, visits I want to make, and time to sit and enjoy the beauty of life. I want to celebrate life now! But I guess I’ll do it tomorrow.