Death… Part Of Life

SAT., JUNE 9, 2001, 3:21 PM
FARM, BACK DECK

You just have read a chapter in the book Maggie is writing, about her life… and THEN… the last portion of Normagene’s story of the life and death of their son, “Steverino.” You have had quite an unusually good life, with an end to it coming in the not-too-distant future BUT with supreme appreciation for how it has been. You originated and developed the course in Death Education at SIU, and there were many marvelous moments associated with students who were yours to teach over the years.

The Warner story reminded you, of course, of the deaths of two of your sons, Peter died in his teens, instantly (or so it seemed) in a head-on collision. He had some success as a football player, and you were proud of that “follow-up” to your athletic career. Yet he was far from a model “schoolboy”… and you can only wonder how he would have been… into his 20’s, 30’s, and now 40’s. His, in total, was not a life to write about in heroic terms, but you’re glad, now, that he was a son of yours, for a time. (He is pleased that he had some good life in your family, as his life goes on, in a good realm, for him.)

Peter’s Park is an important “place” on this Farm, for you, and it has become a symbolic place of remembrance for other family deaths. Though Michael was not buried there, the bench “dedicated” to him should be maintained as an important, functional part of that Park.

Michael was buried in California, not far from where he and Wendy lived, which would have been their long-time home. You wonder whether Wendy will stay there after Justin and Jared have left home for their adult lives. She wonders, too.

In some ways Michael’s death was harder to accept than Peter’s, even as he had a good adult life, a fine craft/profession, and was a fine servant of Mine in that old Orthodox tradition. His football career was more memorable than Pete’s and he combined it with a good academic “career” (though he opted not to go on to university life).

Your parents both lived long lives… good ones for many years, but with the quality ebbing in the 80’s and 90’s. You feel fortunate that you had/made opportunities to be with them in their later years… particularly for the morning walks with your Dad that included some of the best conversations for father and son.

You have no real idea whether there is any correlation between the life a person lives and the death they experience. You know, of course, that I, as Jesus, grew up in a good Jewish family, had a short but powerful life of dedicated ministry, and then endured a painful, shameful death. ( 3:58 / 4:20 ) Yet, on the third day I was back again, in My human form, but with some obvious “additional” capacities. Then, after assuring and reassuring My disciples that life does go on, I “ascended” from them, but with the promise that I would continue to be with them. And I was!

Human deaths now seem more “real”… more “permanent.” But you also realize, as I have told you, often, that deaths are necessary for life to continue. Death is an important part of life… essential for its continuation on this small planet, Earth.

It seems sad when young persons, like Steve… and Peter… even Michael… die before they have had all of the earth life they presumably deserve. Yet if there were no “premature” deaths, and everyone lived as long as your parents and grandparents life here on earth would be quite unpleasant. It seems that I should do something about this, but, as of now, I see and judge the present “condition” of the earth and its human life to be about the best of what I could cause… and sustain.