In my local newspaper, the classifieds list #1 “Births” and #6 “Deaths” only 5 sections apart. A strange and frightening thing, isn’t it? Strange because, somehow, you’d expect these to be opposing one another from the very beginning and very end of the list. Frightening when you realize that not everyone is afforded all 190 sections as a right, that sometimes we don’t get as much time as we might think…or expect.
As a young boy, I battled to comprehend time, and life, and age. 13 was the age when high school would start, I would be 16 at the turn of the millennium, while at 21 I just knew life’s mysteries would be explained to my more-than-ready brain, and anything beyond that was simply too foreign a concept to tackle – I mean, how do you get that old anyway?! All parents had without doubt frolicked with dodo’s in their youth, whilst my grandparents had witnessed the construction of the Great Pyramid, and had had an agreeable couple of Stegosaurus’s as some of their closest friends. Such was the length of time they had survived on the planet, that their true ages had become lost in the sands of time, I believed.
Then, all of a sudden, someone you know (who clearly hasn’t read the script) up and dies. That’s when you begin to see that life is not a road without an end, and it takes a while to sink in.
“What? What do you mean…’dead’? Are you sure its him? But I just saw him on the weekend?!”
That’s just it. Death doesn’t play by the rules. Just when you’ve reached #108 “Business Opportunities”, Death knocks on your front door. It’s not that unusual for people to never see #126 ”Houses to Let”. Sometimes you barely make #55 “Tuition Courses”, or worst of all, fall before your parents could have a look at #36 “Pre-schools”. Getting more scary now, isn’t it? Feel like wrapping yourself in cotton wool, maybe just staying in bed for a week? Well??
I’m no expert, but I think that’s the ploy here. I think that’s Death’s little plan. But playing it safe isn’t going to go very far this time. If we are all given a limited time on this Earth, a brief period to grow and learn and love and live…then shouldn’t we get on with it? To hide from the Grim Reaper, with this grey hooded overcoat and long-reaching scythe, would not assist in evading (or even delaying) the inevitable. In the book of life, we each have two dates next to our names – birth, and death. And who knows when your day will come? But this is not something to fear, or to cause consternation; the opposite in fact. Are stolen moments not often more fun than those which have been planned months ahead? In essence, we ought to treat our lives as an extended stolen moment. A moment which we are free to do with what we will. A moment which we can choose to educate ourselves; to learn the value of respect, work, play, and laughter; a moment for family, friends, and someone special; a moment in time to praise God for this most generous gift.
So don’t get involved in the side-shows Death has designed with the purpose of distracting us from life. As much as possible, don’t get involved with hate, pain, fear, doubt, or anger. These are truly where the greatest regrets are born, and once hatched are almost impossible to cast aside. Is this the last moment you would want for yourself?
Rather enjoy your time, have a ball, and be able to look back at #1 “Births” from your place in #6 “Deaths” with a grateful and contented smile.
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