Growing old is a privilege. Why do we have to be given a death
sentence to truly start living?
These are two lines from one of my favorite series on TV, The
Big C. I love this show because it is about life and death. The reality of life and
death. The reality of a family struggling to come to terms with the fact that
the center of their family. The nucleus of their family has been diagnosed with
a terminal illness and she is going to die one day.
It’s about acceptance and denial. About love and living.
Death and grief. And I believe Laura Linney is excellent as the main character
Cathy. The drama that unfolds on the show is often hidden behind humor because
death is something that is so very hard for us all to accept. So the show portrays
dealing with death through humor so we can be eased into it. I believe they do
this to help us to accept the finality of death because in a warped way we
believe we can beat it. Cheat it. That it will somehow pass us by.
But if there is one thing we are guaranteed to do, it is to
die. We are dying every single day of our lives. Each day we wake up living and
breathing is a privilege we take for granted. Instead some of us complain when we
see our bodies changing. Complain about growing old. Rather than embracing the fact that we have
lived long enough to see our bodies changing. To grow old.
There are so many people who would have loved to have seen
their bodies changing but because they were struck down with a terminal
illness. Killed in a random attack. Murdered in a senseless way. Killed in a
horrible accident. Or taken their own lives because life became too much for
them to bear. They never had the privilege of growing old. Of changing.
Leaving behind those of us to pick up and mend the broken
pieces. Reminding those of us who remain, to look at life as a
gift. A treasure. A present from the Universe to make that decision that could
change our lives forever. To help us to finally understand and accept that we
are the privileged ones who have one more minute to make that change. One more
minute to breathe and appreciate the abundance in our lives just by breathing.
Just by waking up. Just by being present. Grateful.
To those of us privileged ones, we don’t have to wait to be
given a death sentence to appreciate the lives we have. The lives we could be
living. The lives we are living. Have lived and will live. When we understand
we are the privileged ones, we appreciate every aspect of our lives – the good and
the bad, the dark and the light, the joy and the sadness. Because we know we
are still alive and well when we are experiencing these emotions. We know we
have been given more time to be present in our lives. To enjoy the
rollercoaster ride of life.
Today is Monday, the beginning of a whole new work week for the
majority of us. The beginning of a whole new beginning and I am so looking
forward to taking advantage of waking up this morning and beginning a whole new
beginning. Of really living my life and appreciating all I have. Appreciating
every breath I take. Because there are
so many who did not have this privilege today. So many and to them I say rest
in peace and thanks for reminding me just
how short life really is. For reminding me how I must live my life as long and
as wide as I possibly can.
Remembering always growing old is a privilege. And I don’t have
to be given a death sentence to truly live my life. Because I know every day I am getting closer to the end of my life so I am going to live and love every single moment that I am alive. Enjoying the present of being present in every aspect of my life. Namaste.
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