My Dad's Death

My Dad passed away a year and a half ago. I've wanted to write about his dying and death for two years. It's difficult to put it all into words. Not because it was "sad", although in ways it was. Mostly it was a lovely, positive surprise. My dad gave my sisters and I something we never could have imagined. It’s hard to explain the significance of three women in their mid 40s having 9 months to share, heal and hear their father admit his weaknesses and apologize for his mistakes, so believe me when I say it’s overwhelming. He was able to give us the one thing we needed from him before he left this earth and we were able to give him a peaceful death. I wonder at how truly connected it all seems. I suppose that’s been the most surprising part. The connection he made with us completed something that I have no words for.

It's important to me to share this here because, once again, the connection between life and death is so undeniable ~ so tangible. Coming face to face with death is life changing ~ for everyone involved. To take death lightly, to not realize the connect with life, is almost impossible. The death of a loved one can be a cross, or a gift, or a lesson, but in any case it has deep meaning for those left behind. It's an inevitable part of life and for that reason alone we need to think about it, face it, deal with it, accept it, even embrace it. No matter how difficult.

Just as life is a gift directly from God ~ so is death. Our "time" to move on has come. It's not possible for us to will life, only God can do that. It is possible for us to take life through murder and suicide. This is never God's will.

When we murder our babies we not only rob them of their life, but we rob ourselves and the countless number of people that would have been touched by them; of the crosses they would have brought; the gifts they would have given; the lessons they would have taught; the experiences (no matter how small) they would have had and so the experiences of all of the people they would have come in contact with (no matter how brief). And then there's the generations, the descendants, they may have produced. It changes the world in profound ways. It interferes with God's will. It interferes with eternity.

I wonder how many people who are pro-abortion or pro-choice know someone that they honestly think should have been aborted. It's an evil thought ~ because it's an evil act. Who do we think we are?