Life, Death, and the Between

Good Morning again from Frosty 6 degree Flagstaff,

The title of this blog may seem a bit morbid, but of late I have been thinking about just these topics. This has been spurred on a bit by the death of daughter Natasha's only maternal side Aunt Cindy this past weekend. Like my friend Ronnie, Cindy died at, or near the age of 50, much too soon.

It may be my age, or the fact that my beloved mother died only a year and a half ago, that has got me spending some time thinking about this journey through life in which we are all engaged. When we are young we cannot wait to be older. Then all of a sudden it is upon us and the rate of change and time seems to accelerate exponentially. All of sudden we are members of AARP and grandparents.

There have been several films lately covering the subject; Away from Her, The Savages, and The Bucket List. The first two deal with subject of aging rather seriously and the performances are excellent. The last, The Bucket List, includes a bit more humor. All are recommned.

I should say that with my 62nd birthday and social security coming next month (at least the b-day, the other has a two month delay) all of this does not depress me. It just "stuff" I have been reflecting on since the death of my mother, grandfather, and my longest continuous friend so early in his life. I wish that I believed in a "higher power" and the "great beyond," but I don't! I am happy for those of you who do. For me, life is now. We need to grasp it and our loved ones and make everyday count. Everytime you talk to family and friends let them know you love them.

And so it goes . . .