Many people are uncomfortable talking about death. Yet, death is
all around us. Often though, it is easier to not pay attention to it. Flowers
bloom and die. Trees die. Yet most spend more time researching appliances
than preparing and planning for their own death. Some think that preparing for
death means picking out a plot for a grave and making some pre-planning
arrangements with a funeral home. This is helpful from a practical standpoint,
but it is not preparing for death. When the time comes that we breathe our
last, we must be ready to die. The ancients have said “Learn first how to live.
Learn second how not to kill. Learn third how to live with death. Learn fourth
how to die.” A great teacher once said, “When it is time to die, die”. He
believed this with all his heart. Yet, when he became very sick, he fought hard
against dying. Yet, this is not a dichotomy. No one should be eager to die for
our life is precious. So we struggle against it. As the struggle ends however, we
must know when and how to die. This great teacher knew when it was time. He
fought and then he let go.
