Death, be (not) proud

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

The hot, grieving hairdresser wife has been to four funerals in the past month. I'll be going to two this week: one for my mom's husband and one for my younger brother's mother-in-law, both victims of lung cancer, both died Saturday night. I know, my mother's husband is technically my step-dad, but she didn't marry him 'til I was 23, so it's not like an official step-relationship. He was a good man though, and he was great to my mom. Ranch foreman, bull rider, cowboy, gentleman, churchless Christian: a good man in many, many ways. The lady who died, Margo, gave me my first job out of prison. Actually, she and her ex-husband gave me a job when I was on bond and rehired me when I was released. They helped reintegrate me to the real world. She even wrote me in prison. A kind, caring, 3-pack a day woman.

These are the deaths that trouble me, the ones that make me want to believe in resurrection. I want to believe good people get something beautiful in the next life, as opposed to rotting lungs, wheezing, and emaciation in this life. I've been reflecting on this since the hottie and I went to the funeral of another good man: a 43-year old husband, father, brother, son, and damn good human being who died of his first and last heart attack, leaving three kids behind. I understand the emotions and the rationale that lead to the postulation of an after-life. Who wants to lose a father at 16 and never see him again? Who wants to lose a husband at 43 and have no hope of reunion? How can you not fear something that takes the good and the bad, the young and the old, the healthy and the ill? It's an inexplicable affliction that is only mitigated by the hope of another life, later.

But I don't know if I believe that. I'm not sure there is anything afterward. I'm not sure it will matter once we're dead, but this week, I know it matters to the living, so I opened this with John Donne. It's one of the few verses in literature that inspires me to believe. And if you've never seen Emma Thompson read it and hope for it in her HBO movie "Wit", then you need to rent it immediately and cry like a baby. Peace.

Comments

[Captain Freedom]

peace and prayers this week

[revbrunet]

i LOVE that movie. the play is amazing, as well. if you can't rent it, go to barnes and noble and buy the book. you'll still cry like a baby.

[Catherine Imes]

Hi Greg,

It's timely that I'm visiting your blog again (I read every once in a while)

Indeed, Margo was a very kind woman. Along with you, she was probably my fondest memory of that job; I tell people stories about sharing an office with her when we ran out of office space in the old building....and the thick cloud of smoke. Unfortunately,3 packs is very accurate.

My condolences to Carrie and Mike.

CI

[Amanda]

i'm sorry about all the funerals. but i do have to say i LOVE john donne and also the wit movie. i fell in love with donne in high school and then we rented wit b/c it was about the professor that teaches donne. i think justin and i cried and held each other for awhile after it. one of the most touching, beautiful movies ever.

[Cara]

we are thinking of you this week. love you guys.

[Kristen]

I'm sorry about your all of the deaths. There have been several for us too. It's very wierd. I'm thinking about you guys.