I have had many conversations about health concerns and the effect that foods and exercise have on our mortality. I read the news of tragedies in the world. I've heard the term "Preventable Deaths". That term seems to be used quite a bit, lately. Several cancers seem to be caused by habits that can be stopped. Some brutalities can be curbed. Certain foods are deemed unfit by the 'experts' who are telling the general public that those toxic foods are killing us.
I had a great uncle whose "devilment" and smart remarks used to crack me up! When asked the cause of one's death, I recall his gravely-voiced reply, "They GOT Damn heart stopped beating!" He sized up the situation quite succinctly, I believe. I'm wondering, now - are deaths really preventable? Is it possible to keep our hearts from stopping? Doesn't The Creator "set this all up?" I understand that we are willful creatures. What do you think?
Personally, I don't think death can be "prevented" - no one's getting out of here alive. It can be delayed, in my mind. I'm doing my best to take care of this "shell" I was "loaned", so that my transition to the next phase will be a smooth, painless one. It would be a blessing to transcend the way my paternal great grandfather did: quietly in his sleep. How about you? What do you think is going to be your way out of this phase?
*click on the image for its source.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Preventable Deaths
Moved by The Creator, Merely posted by CapCity at 5/08/2007
Labels: blessings, health, physical self, reflections
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9 Comments:
Oh wow, that ended completely different than how I thought it would while reading. Hmmm.... I was all set to go off on what now seems to be a tangent. Lol!
Well, when I go, I hope that it happens in a funny way, so that people can laugh about it, and say things like: "wouldn't you just know it, I always knew he'd go out like that."
I don't want people to mourn over me, that much I am sure of. I truly believe that when we grieve over the loss of a loved one, a lot of that grief is our selfish pity for ourselves that WE won't get to see them anymore. We should focus on rejoicing over the good life spent.
I kind of think I'm going to die in a car crash, but I'm not sure if it is going to be a "WHAM!" kind of accident and I'll be ushered on through the Pearly Gates, or if I'm going to be laid up on a slab with people sitting around my comatose body like a freaking campfire, chit chatting until my fire goes out.
Remember THE GODFATHER trilogy? Both Dons Corleone died sitting in their Sicilian gardens as their grandchildren played. I want to fall asleep that one last time in my garden as my great-grandchildren play. I want to leave knowing that two generations after my start, my family feels safe.
Dave is right--you get kudos for taking me HARD LEFT with the ending!
My Grandfather died like a true Patriarch. He was ill and lying upright in a hospital bed in a small central Florida town. He had been a preacher longer than I had been in this life. So, needless to say, word had spread through the community as well as a couple of states. Family members were called and were coming in from far and wide. My call resulted in my traveling from the midwest, thirteen hours by car, to show my love and concern.
As I stood in the hall awaiting my turn in the rotation of visiters I had the chance to see familiar and unfamiliar faces file into his room one by one as they exchanged laughs of old times and well wishes for him to recover. My grandfather was well loved, no doubt about it. My time to see him had arrived. As I stood at the end of his hospital bed looking on as my Granny sat holding his hand I knew his time had come to leave this earth. All of my aunts and uncles were in and out of the room at that time as well, all ten of them. Tears were shed and prayers went forth as he lie withering in a shell of his former self. I could tell one of my Aunts was holding onto him for dear life. She could see that the inevitable was approaching. With as much courage as I could muster, I told her, "Don't hold on so tight, let him go, his time has come, he has fought the good fight and it's now time for him to meet the Father. He's preached about it his entire life. He's in good hands." She cried.
That weekend was the last time I would see my grandfather alive. I made the return trip home on the Monday after that weekend visit. I received the call two days later that Buddy Buddy, as we loving called him as kids, had passed in the night hour. I decided not to attend the funeral. There was no need to. I had said my goodbye's to him while he was alive, man to man, spirit to spirit.
As I cast my mind back on that visit I loved that he had the opportunity to say farewell to all those who knew and loved him. That was the way it should be. Call all your family, friends, and loved ones around, share old times, share even a few laughs, say your farewells and then give up the ghost peacefully into the night.
That's how I want to go.
Dave & Ced, the thought "meisters" carried me 'hard-left', so I could only go with it:-).
Sugar - i love the visual of sitting around u like a camp fire.
Rich - that was a beautiful story.
I have watched many of my elders die and I am no longer afraid of death. My elders helped me to better understand that life is to be RELISHED and lived FULLY. This media obsession with death is another 'fear' tactic that is the true terrorism, in my humble opinion! So, let's LIVE it UP whilst we're here!!
it doesnt matter how i roll out. I know that if I'm dead and when the Lord comes back for me...
I will immediately attain my "glorified body" so none of it matters to me.
great post topic though
I have to admit death still scares me at times.
Can we really prevent an early death? You can exercise and eat right only to still have problems. Then the health studies say one day this food is good then next bad and it can go back and forth. All I can say I will do what I am able to and that's that.
DC - glad u're at peace with whatever the future holds. I think acceptance is KEY.
Shai - I strongly suggest this book: "Feel The Fear & Do It Anyway" by Susan Jeffers (click on her name to go to her site). I mentioned it on another post's comment, but I always feel for individuals who express so many fears. This is SUCH a beautiful life & fear is a wicked, wicked force. Hugz Sis!
This is very interesting...talking about death...well, it's something i've thought of many times....i hope i go peaceful, knowing that i have lived my life to the fullest, i fulfilled my destiny, and that i have loved abundantly.
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