The End?

Nobel Laureate, Mo Yan, sums it up as eloquently and as succinctly as anyone could:

"Where there's life, death is inevitable."

Death has truly been on my mind lately.

No, not my death.

Other people's deaths.

Every day I sign onto Facebook, somebody is telling us about the death of someone they love.

I leave a message on every death notice I see. In fact, I leave so many, all I have to do now is type in the word, "May," and my phone cranks out the rest from memory.

"May his/her soul rest in eternal peace."

I notice that death doesn't frighten me these days the way it used to in my youth. Now, I'm at peace with it. I truly am.

I readily accept that death is indeed a part of life.

A necessary part.

Nothing that has ever lived lasts forever.

 Nothing.

And I'm fine with that.

I know it's our selfishness that compels us to want to keep those we love alive and well until...well...forever.

When my mother died in June 1985, all my fantasies about everlasting life died with her.

From that point on, I told myself: "There will never be another human being I can't live without."

Since her death, I don't believe I've ever truly allowed myself to become wholly emotionally attached to someone else.

I've had numerous infatuations. Some so intense I sometimes acted in ways beneath the man I am.

Ultimately, I always eventually accepted that I could live without the subjects of those infatuations, and life went on.

I'm 54 years blessed. God willing, I'll be 55 in less than two months.

I wish the very best for everybody I encounter. And also to those I don't. I want folks to feel happy to be alive. And to share that happy feeling with those who don't possess it.

I don't believe death should be feared.

I believe it should simply be accepted.

For what it is.

Inevitable.

And when my final breath is exhaled, I hope only my physical body dies.

And that happy memories of me live on.

Forever.