Carm’s uncle passed away this morning – he was just 3 months away from being 90. Leaving this world is never a happy thing, but sometimes it is a mercy.
It got me thinking…
When I die (which I’m not planning on doing anytime soon), I want everyone to celebrate my life with champagne, lobster, and chocolate, or some other extravagant treat. Sparklers would be nice too. I don’t want people to be sad for me - I want them to remember that I lived a good life. I got to live my dreams. I got to experience life’s ups and downs (maybe more than some people!). I would be leaving this world without any regrets – and who can hope for anything better than that.
I want my ashes cast into the wind that blows across the open prairie, so that my carbon, my star stuff, will merge with the earth to fertilize the fragrant sage that is my headstone.
We seem to have weathered the worst of the storm. There wasn’t as much freezing rain as forecast, but still plenty of it. Everything is covered in a sheen of ice. The snow that fell last night is burdened by a glacial crust. Rain is falling now – there is nothing slipperier than ice with water on top. The temperature is expected to plummet tonight – I hope the roads dry off before that happens…
Carm got the snow blower running, man-handling it up and down the laneway, while I shovelled the front deck. The snow was so heavy and sticky that it clung to the shovel, and needed to be knocked off before the next load.
After we had both finished our tasks I took the dogs on the short route through the field. Wow. What a hard slog for all of us. I don’t know who had it worse: me crashing through with every step; Bella taking a few steps before crashing through; or Spike sliding on the ice which held his weight 80% of the time. Kabira stayed home – she had gotten her fill quickly. At one point she was on the snowblowed laneway and suddenly pounced into the deep snow. She looked pleased at the crackle beneath her feet.
I am always saddened by the death of a good person. It is from this sadness that a feeling of gratitude emerges. I feel honored to have known them and blessed that their passing serves as a reminder to me that my time on this beautiful earth is limited and that I should seize the opportunity I have to forgive, share, explore, and love. I can think of no greater way to honor the deceased than to live this way. ~Steve Maraboli
2 comments:
I feel as you do about my (eventual:) passing. Enjoy it all while you can. After looking at the snow blower picture, I am very glad I do not have one anymore:)
Your idea to use a snowblower to cast your ashes to the wind is an excellent one. Since I plan to finish out my life in climates where snow doesn't fall, I won't be able to include it in my disposal instructions.
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