Revelations: A Beautiful Death

I don’t know if anything strikes more fear in the human mind than death. Were all afraid to die yet we know eventually we all will. It’s strange how we’re scared of the inevitable. We know it’s going to happen but when it finally comes, it’s a disturbing shock every time. Its almost like the whole world is standing together with their right arms raised, looking at their watch, waiting for the one who will finally discover immortality. Simultaneously, everyone will all breathe a sigh of relief. What an interesting life that would be? I guess the real scary part about death is not knowing who its gunning for or when it’s coming. There’s no real notice or crypt keeper to warn you that it is coming. There’s no real preparing for it, you just know eventually it will come. We’re left with the ultimate waiting game and that truly sucks.

One of my close friend’s cousins died and it was hard for her. She was left with a lot of questions with few if any answers. All she had left was a list of “whys”? Life and death; a mysterious thread that weaves a tale, leaving us at times a bit uneasy, scared, and confused. It’s a mega-sized sheet of paper that looks like scribble-scratch and you just have to make the best sense out of it as you can. No matter how much you try to decipher the code, it still makes no sense at all so when you see their plan unfold and come to fruition, all you can say is “why.” Usually when death hits, so many thoughts and blames run rampant through your mind and the whole ordeal is so overwhelming. Many blame God, or whoever they can point a finger at to find some sense in it all, some blame themselves. Others just can’t understand people and their actions to take lives, especially innocent, young ones. Looking at our world through a kaleidoscope, it comes across as a very scary world in which you just want to hide under rock because sometimes that seems like the safest place.

I was a church and the pastor came across this scripture that moved me.

“As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." Romans 8:36

And when I thought about death, my friend’s cousin, and constant headlines of death, it really occurred to me how true this statement really was. Death is everywhere and there is no escaping it. Many who live to 80-90 years old are considered blessed because they lived a long good life. They were blessed with a good time frame to accomplish the desires for which they were sent on the earth to do, whether it was to start a family, a successful career, or traveling around the world. They were blessed with time and we all know time can be your best friend or your worst enemy and most of the time; it’s your worst enemy. But that scripture struck a chord in my soul, we are going to die and we are surrounding in it but there is a reason for everything. And as scary as it seems, death is inevitable for a reason and we are surrounding by it for a reason. However you feel about death, there’s no denying its stake on the world, it is going to be here forever, so how do we cope? How do we deal with death without the ever-present fear of doom it leaves over our head? The scripture continues…

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39

There are so many distractions that pull us away from God including death. Death is so powerful that in the mist of it, we pull away from God whether to blame him or stop believing in him because death has loomed over our family and friends. But God did not promise immortality, he promised us salvation. There will come a day when we all must say good-bye to this life so when I read that scripture, I get this A-ha moment. I can accept death for what it is and not let it control my life and even though death may come to me or my loved ones, I will not let that deter me from my love for God because the gift he has given me will and forever be more powerful than death. The bond that I have with God is much stronger than death, the gift I will carry here and long after I have left this earth. It is ever-lasting. I hate death as much as the next person and there are ways to prevent the deaths of innocents, wars, and crimes but I get it-that death should not control me or my relationship with God. It should not separate me from Him.

I was walking to the bus stop for work and I was walking past a graveyard with my headphones on and it was relatively beautiful outside. Winter was in the process of finding its way out and I was appreciating the arrival of the sun and the rejuvenating light she was leaving on my skin. I looked at the graveyard, I looked up at the sky, and without warning one of my favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers songs begin to play, one of their first singles called Under the Bridge bring a strange sense of clarity to me…

“I drive on her streets
'Cause she's my companion
I walk through her hills
'Cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and
She kisses me windy and
I never worry”

I was filled with gratefulness to be alive. Though death is around me, I was so appreciative to have this moment outside to breathe in the air, to move my limbs, to feel the sun and the wind. That I had this time and this moment to live…

“At least I have her love
The city she loves me
Lonely as I am
Together we cry”

I’m not always going to be here, we have so much and so little time to revel in the great things about this world before our time is up. I just don’t want to forget it so I walked remembering that this world is doomed yet she couldn’t be more beautiful.

“Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love”

We all are living the best we know how in spite of the many obstacles and barriers that stand in our way but we continue on this journey trying to make use of the time we have left. We suffer, but we can survive, and find happiness. People hurt us but we can heal and still find happiness. We live in a beautiful mess….we are living a beautiful death.