It Comes To Us All

[poliphilo]

I think about death all the time. 

Not in a morbid way. At least I don't find it morbid.

I think it's healthy to use a  skull as a paperweight. Or to have your own funeral effigy designed in advance so you can keep a picture of it in your bedroom the way John Donne did.

But then I'm not afraid of death.  I believe in the immortality of the soul.  And this isn't a clinging to the ledge by the fingertips kind of a belief, but more like a conviction.

The soul is immortal. The personality isn't.  The personality goes on the scrapheap. I think the personality I've developed in this life is interesting enough and I suppose I'm quite fond of it, but I won't mind letting it go. 

The whole art of growing old is knowing how and when to let things go. 

It feels like I've already lived several different lives in the course of my 56 years. For instance there's this guy I used to be who  worked for the church. I've let him go and I don't regret him in the least. 

When I'm reading about some famous dead person I always make a point of checking the age at which they died. Yesterday I was reading about Lee Miller. She died at 70. Which means she was only 14 years older than I am now. At 56 I'm in the killing zone. Anita Roddick just died in her early 60s. Look, really, it could happen to me any time now...

Comments

[jfs.livejournal.com]

A couple of my uncles have died in the last 5 years. Given there's not a huge age difference between any of the brothers, I figure my dad's moved in to the zone too.

He's doing the right things (mostly) - he's eating better, less salt, needs more exercise.

But I figure that when one of your brothers or sisters dies, you know you're now moving into a holding pattern, even if you're not landing just yet.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

My father-in-law has had two brothers die within a year- which makes him the last member of that generation in his family. It's hit him hard and he's been showing signs of not wanting to stay around much longer. Mind you, his next birthday, if he makes it, will be his 80th.