I wasn’t sure I was going to write anything today. I guess I am in a reflective mood and not up to the typical light-hearted post I usually write.
We started the day by going to a funeral service. This is not the first funeral service I have attended and I am sure it won’t be the last.
What made this one different is that it was not the parent of a friend who died. It was the husband of a friend, someone who is only one year older than me.
This made me think about my life. Whether I like to admit it or not I know I am closer to the end than I am to the beginning. It is true that none of us knows how much time we have on tis earth. We need to appreciate each day we are given and make the best of it.
Yes, there are good days as well as bad. They make up this thing we call life. There are things we have done or experiences we have had that we wish we could forget. Somehow these things seem to come to the forefront when we least expect or want them. However, we continue on.
So, with another fast approaching birthday, next month, I resolve to continue to appreciate each day I am given, to enjoy it, and to make each day count for myself and those around me.
arjeha 
My husband and I were just discussing our reckoning with time passing, especially as a dear friend of ours told us yesterday that she is stopping treatment for cancer, the treatment worse than the disease at this point. I am truly sorry for your loss and glad you could share your feelings here.
Thank you. It is something we don’t particularly like to think about, yet it is something we all must face.
Sorry for your loss. You have written with sensitivity and such strong feeling.You do often write with humor and we love it… but you can also write serious. We need both.
Thank you. I admit that I am out of my comfort level writing this kind of pist.
I agree with you. We were shocked when my husband heard about the passing of two of his students. Please convey our condolences to your friend and family.
Thank you. I will pass on your condolences.
Bob, it is so hard to find out a friend passed on. My husband is experiencing the same feeling. He heard today that one of his closet friends passed away. He seems to be thinking about mortality as you said. Best to you.
Carol, I guess something like this serves as a reminder that our life is a precious gift and it is up to us to make it the best life possible.
Seems we were both in a reflective moods for similar reasons. Sometimes a somber post is all one has to give. “They make up this thing we call life.”
Yes, life is made up of good and bad, happy and sad. We deal with what we are given in the best way we can.
Impermanence and gratitude are the words that come to my mind as I read your post. Your last lines are powerful. Living your life fully and meaningfully helps to stay in the present.
You are right. The past can’t be changed. The future hasn’t happened yet. Right now is when we are living and we need to make the best of it.
You know, your post made me think of a story I was listening to the other day. They were talking about how the happiest societies, the happiest people, are the ones who confront the idea of mortality head-on. It seems that there’s a certain clarity that comes from knowing our days on this planet will come to an end. Somber, yes, but perhaps it all leaves us with the desire to be good, to do good…
I totally agree with you. If we face our mortality the desire to live a life that counts is stronger and the desire to help others greater…hopefully.