Dying to Live

Since I was a little girl, I've always had this fascination--- not necessarily with death, but with the fragility of life--- knowing that there's only a fraction of a second that differentiates living and the cessation of life. I can remember being in elementary school and being terrified that my mother wouldn't make it home to me. I remember the butterflies I would get when I would pray "And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take"... Honestly, the finality of death has always kind of freaked me out, only remedied by the hope (and promise) of immortality after me and my loved ones make the transition that we all must make one unspecified day.

It would seem that at some point we all should make some kind of peace with death, as it is the great equalizer--- it is the final destination of this realm for us all. Yet, for me (and I'm sure some others), there is still something unsettling about it. Maybe it's because there are things in this life that I still want to experience or maybe it's just because death seems to be the opposite of everything I'm familiar with (although I've heard sleep is pretty similar to it). I'm not sure if it makes sense to "fear" something as absolute as death, but it certainly isn't anything I'm rushing toward at this moment in time. The irony in all of this is that I've had crushes on one mortician and at least two funeral home attendants... 🤦🏾‍♀️😂 Judge your mother!

It seems like I'm seeing and writing "R.I.P." or "my condolences" more than ever lately and I can't help but wonder "who's next"? The truth of the matter is, life is both too long and too short not to make every day count! Whether you live 18 years or 80 years, your life and legacy is only as relevant and full as you make it. Your time with your loved ones, however long or short, is only as memorable as you make it. I'm reminded to not only live every day like it's my last, but to treat others as if every day is their last. It very well could be.

Somewhere in the past decade the acronym "Y.O.L.O." became a popular exclamation typically after doing something remarkably wild. If you are not familiar with popular Hip Hop culture, the acronym stands for "You Only Live Once". While I still casually drop "Y.O.L.O bombs" after I've done something, you know--- "remarkably wild", I think I've concluded that this acronym-turned-motto is kind of misleading. With every breath we take, we have another chance at life. We don't live once, we DIE once, and our charge is to make sure that the dash between our "sunrise" and "sunset" represents a life well lived, surely full of challenges and questionable decisions, but also full of unforgettably wonderful moments--- both unexpected and carefully curated.

To anyone fighting for their life, know that no one on this earth can assign you an expiration date. To anyone pushing their way through life, just trying to assemble the life you dream of in those deafeningly quiet and still moments--- may your life FAR outshine your death when the time comes. For anyone mourning the transition of a loved one, I am praying for you as you adjust to your new normal. 🙏🏾

#life #death #lifeordeath #Grief #YOLO #Peace #mourning #celebrationoflife #dearlydeparted #love #lifeafterdeath #RIPKobe

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