I’m back… Well, it’s been quite a hiatus.
It leads me to wonder if any of you were taking bets as to whether you would hear from me again. Those of you that know me well understand the tenacious streak that abides in my soul and are not surprised that I am back.
Today we are discussing death, a not so much favorite subject for many and therefore avoided. And yet to others a topic that holds morbid attention. None the less (what on earth does that really mean), something which effects us constantly throughout our lives.
Let’s converse on it…
Conversation 9:
Death. Why on earth did I say death is something that affects us constantly throughout our lives? I mean people we know die… every now and then. But certainly not all the time… thank the holy hey hoo.
But, in actuality, it does affect us constantly. Old is replaced by new whether it be the death of a loved one and the birth of a new baby, the death of your favorite car and the joy you feel when you find just the right new one, the death of all the leaves on a tree and their new spring replacements, or the death of a cell in your body which is immediately replaced by another new cell.
Still, even though we are surrounded by death on a continuous basis, it is the endings of relationships we take most for granted that hit us the hardest. Relationships with our loved ones, neighborhoods, co-workers, favorite foods (I am still mourning the loss of my favorite chocolate cake made by Van de Kamps), and organizations where we seek support and solace. These things die, their memory lingers and then, thankfully, the Cosmos replaces them with new things that catch our attention and call forth our energy (except for the Van de Kamps chocolate cake… sigh).
Recently my school (and subsequently myself), has been effected by a number of endings. A favored counselor and tutor died a lingering death after a heart attack. This person’s death struck many to their core and changed some of us irrevocably. In addition, a number of people have left the school due to endings that have happened in their own lives and in response to changes (another word for endings) in our school policy/structure/atmosphere. As I write this, another death hangs in the balance… the life of the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) for the school for which I work. A group of people are deciding whether this organization lives to continue contributing to our students or dies.
Now all this may sound very depressing and to some scary, but in actuality it is no different than cells dying and then being replaced in our bodies (well… maybe except for that chocolate cake… I mean, come on, that was serious). Some may think that statement sounds stiff and uncaring. But that is only because they pay no mind to the miraculous cycle of the death and birth of those very cells.
Without this cycle there would be no growth, no renewal, no chance to start over or improve. We couldn’t decide to train to run faster, rehabilitate our muscles to fix our injuries, or learn new things. We couldn’t evolve, invent new inventions in order to meet new needs, create new pathways to conquer old problems, or get a new crop of pomegranates every year (I love pomegranates).
One of my favorite movies, “Harold and Maude” (here is a link to the Wikipedia synopsis of the movie for those of you unfamiliar with this cult classic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_and_Maude), exemplifies this theme. A seemingly morbid Spring/Fall romance proves to be the release of Harold and inspires him to live life instead of courting death.
A hard thing to remember when the death of something seems to take a piece of us with it. Yet that lost piece (painful though its parting may have been) leaves something wonderful behind… space. Much needed space… for something new.
I remember a statement from the movie, Millennium (the movie itself was interesting, but it was the final statement that keeps the movie in my memory).
”This is not the end. This isn’t the beginning of the end. This is the end of the beginning.” (* see note)
Well, as I finish this conversation the PTO meeting is ending and indeed the organization did die… just to be replaced by a whole new set of officers, eager for their new beginning.
Endings… couldn’t do without ‘em.
I love you all,
Donna
* Little did I know at the time that this statement (or rather the altered version of it) was actually made by Winston Churchill on 10 November 1942. Funny how important political and social statements sink into our culture.
Tags: Death and renewal, Endings and beginnings, Harold and Maude
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