Perhaps the title for this blog post intrigues you or turns you off. Perhaps it seems odd and you think ScarredJoy has things mixed up. Here is some of my thinking on this. People who work in the area of death & dying or palliative care or end-of-life care are familiar with terms like “denial” or “evading” when it comes to our society’s reluctance to instead “accept” the presence of death. Death, you see, isn’t going anywhere. Death and dying are a constant presence in the world.
Doctors have been trained to save lives and make people feel better. They aren’t that well trained in accepting the presence of death. Death indeed may be considered failure. Death however need not be looked upon as being failure rather it is to be accepted. To accept the presence of death is in turn to feel and know a fuller acceptance of life. Life is beautiful! When I watch my grandchildren play and find pleasure in the most seemingly simple things of life, it makes me smile! It also has me reflect on how as “grown ups” we may lose the sense of wonder and fun children enjoy so very much.
The constant presence of death may help us to treasure our lives while we can. Live, my friends and family! Live!