Death on Facebook

An interesting twist in social media is the ability to share a death experience with friends.  My friend, David, passed away around midnight central time, 10:00 pm California time.  His Face book posts started talking about migraines in January and how bad he felt.  We (his Face book friends and family) all cheered him on and followed his doctor appointments as well as his blood tests.  The doctors said he was fine.  When I talked to him in late January, he was experiencing crazy coughing fits and he told me he was dying.  He knew it even though the doctors were not finding the cause of his illness.  Our conversations have always been the deepest emotional levels and this was no exception. 

He went to the doctor again in February.  They put him in the hospital, did MRI's and cat scans.  They found six brain tumors and lung cancer.  They said he had four to six months to live.  He did a few rounds of radiation and signed up for hospice.  The last few days he has been unconscious.  Friends and family have been posting on Face book for David during this time. Friends were able to connect via face book and by calling his caregiver who would hold the phone to David's ear. 

I read the posts last night around 10:00 pm central time and I knew he would not make it through the night.  He was in my dreams and when I woke, I knew he was gone.  During my morning yoga practice, I had a sensation for a brief moment that David was with me, just passing through as his spirit made it's trip to visit all of the friends he has made.  When I got on Face book, his death was confirmed.

There are many people who were recipients of David's friendship.  I was one of the lucky ones.  David knew my soul from the very beginning and we had a friendship that was deep from the moment we met.  Even though distance has separated us, we have kept in touch - and now he is gone.  The world is a smaller, sadder place today because we have lost him on earth.

During February, David and I had a few phone conversations.  I asked him what his plans were and what his thoughts were about dying.  He had been thinking of ways he could connect with his friends from heaven.  One consideration was to turn off the hot water in people's showers.  I have no doubt that he will figure out a way.

Rest in peace David.  I love you brother.

Friendship and Gratitude

The last two weeks have been amazing.  My birthday celebration started on March 1st with the traditional monthly "rabbit rabbit" e-mail from my sister asking me if I wanted to see the musical, Wicked, as my birthday present.  As the week progressed, I had a lunch date with my other sister, nephew and mother complete with presents, a lunch date with two co-workers - more presents, cards in the mail, e-mails, facebook wishes from friends and family, and got to see my friend from Utah for the first time in six years.  My husband provided a wonderful birthday celebration on the actual evening of my birthday.

The next two weeks should be almost as wonderful. The visit with my Utah friend continues for another week, I have lunch dates planned with two other friends, and invitations to get together with facebook  friends.  I have a three day work week - instead of five.

As I watch the disaster in Japan on the news, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for our safe dry warm home, our dog sleeping beside me on the couch, the hot coffee in my cup, the ability to take the day off of work, and most importantly, my friends and family.  Even without the comparison to the horrors of Japan, my gratitude is immense.  I am healthy, I have wonderful people who love me, an income producing job, a home, pets, clothes, food and talents waiting to be fulfilled. 

Life is good.  Thank you God for the gifts I have been given.

Risk Taking

This morning as Abbie and I were walking, she took considerable interest in the thin layers of ice over the melted snow in the ditches.  During our afternoon walks, the ice melts forming moats.  These moats provide a challenge for her to jump across.  Overnight, the water freezes, supplying morning adventures.  This morning, she started at the ice's edge to determine just how far she could venture onto the moat.  The process involves stepping into the ice just until she hears cracking, then she backs up.  Then she starts taking bigger risks, stepping farther into the middle of the ice until she hears cracking.  Once, as she stood in the middle of the frozen pond, she turned to smile and show me how smart she was.  She explored each moat this way until she saw something interesting in the middle of one frozen pool.  She stepped onto the edge, then gingerly stepped toward the middle and the object of her curiosity.  The cracking began and she stepped back one step.  Then she leaned toward the object, stretching her nose closer, yet keeping her feet on solid ice.  Just then, her front feet went through the ice and she was up to her chin and chest in freezing water.  Her back legs remained on frozen ice, so she scrambled back to dry ground. 

Her curiosity for the object overcame her need to stay dry, so she attempted once again to walk on the ice far enough to gain access to the object.  Once again, she broke through the ice.  At that point, she decided the object was not worth the effort so she took off on a new adventure.

Abbie's desire for the unreachable object only went as far as she was willing to go into the freezing, undesirable water.  As it is with risk taking.  As we look toward goals we want, objects of our desire, how far into the uncomfortable zones are we willing to go?

Today, I am taking a bigger risk and the water is not that cold.