That finally passage of life, how will you, approach it, huh? Are you going to be graceful, like this writer? Or, won’t you? Translated…
“How do we say goodbye?” it’s something I’d started thinking seriously over after I passed age sixty-five.
At first, I’d felt, that I needed to, get prepared for death, so I’d, gone to the hospital, signed a DNR, and signed on for becoming an organ donor, and I’d told my daughter, that my funeral needs to be simple, just spread my ashes around the trees, no need for a headstone. I’d felt, I had, everything settled then.
Then, the years that followed flew by so quick, and I’d started, wondering, how many more years have I left? Of course I had no clue, but, surely, my days are, numbered, back when I was young, I’d not cared about time, and just, used and used and used it, generously, and as I aged, I’d wanted to, save up the time, but it’d become, sand through my fingers, I can’t hold onto it. From all around me, the elders, the friends, would accidentally surprised me, some were fighting hard with their illnesses, and some had, left without saying proper goodbyes to their loved ones, I suppose, one day, it should be, my turn then? Finally panicking! I’d found, that all the arrangements to be made, were what’s to happen after I die, and I wouldn’t know if everything will go as I wished and planned, and what was within our controls, is how we are to, go, and with what sort of an attitude, do we, go with? Will I fear? Will I, be unwilling? Will I struggle? Will I come to this peaceful understanding that I’m about to, “end”? Will I, feel elated?
illustration from the papers online
After thinking on the matter, the scripts of my finality slowly, came before me, yes, I’d, decided to tell everybody I know, “goodbye all! I’m, going off on a joyous trip now!”, traveling is such a wonderful thing, I’d, go to all the places I’d never visited before, to have all the different experience, I’d expected each and every one of my trips, and, returned with a ton of things, and this time shall be, the MOST special of all, it will be, without the itinerary, no traveling companions, with NO clue of what my destination entailed, the best part of all, is NO packing for the trip, no need to worry if I’d forgotten something, no need to get chased by the clock, just, relax and bravely, ventured onward, and, the only difference from all the trips I’d taken in my life before is: I’m never coming back, and, there’s, no chance of me, sharing my findings on this final trip that I shall be, taking with everybody I know.
But, preparation is still, a must, I needed to prepare for enough assets, with the limited amount of time I have left, sharing what I have with everybody I want to share it with, say my thank-yous to everybody and everything I have in life, say my goodbyes, without anything holding me back, after I’d done all that, I can leave, at any time. Looking back over my entire life, I’d, walked through this passage, and finally, I’d, turned around, and left the stage, not taking anything with me, and naturally, I’d, feel, at ease.
And so, this, is a most positive kind of attitude that one can have toward one’s own death, this person thought everything out, planned everything out, as well as s/he possibly can, and now, s/he is, ready, to leave, and, s/he carried, NO regrets over the life s/he had, lived!
Life, the Obstacle Course 