I get now why I have been drawn to death and dying. Why I had to take the Death Doula course, why I had to take the bereavement facilitator course to talk about death and grief. Why I went to group workshops to cry as a group about the devastation we are doing to Earth and her creatures.
I love talking about death. It's my favorite topic. Unfortunately I don't have anyone to talk to about it with (or about anything else either.) Death is with me 24/7. I feel its presence and I long for it. No one who is in denial about death is really alive, either. It's a paradox.
I've lived a blessed life where death always happened far away from me. Of course over time it has knocked closer and closer but given I'm 41 years old I've lucked out. This post reminds me of a Robin Williams movie that was over the top but the imagery burned into my head in 'What Dreams My Come'. A landscape of a tree that as the movie progresses turns from color to black and white, parts of the landscape go dark.
I suffered from some anxiety starting in 2017 but I drink too much alcohol and coffee so have it coming. I think people could sense that in me and at a bed and breakfast we vacation at once a year the owner made it a point to talk to me and let me know death isn't something to be afraid of. On mu way to get vaccinated my Dad let me know that he isn't afraid of death and he brought it up in a way that sounds confrontation but it wasn't, it was on point, where he said I'm not afraid of death like you are. He was right. I was afraid.
I'm not as afraid of dying as I was but I'm not done yet is the issue. I got kids to raise and I still feel I have something important to do with my career. But I"ve had 41 years. And I'm beginning to come to grips that if it was time...I had a decent run. Lots of happy memories. Lots of love.
Another bad movie had Gandolfini talking to Julia roberts about how of the people he killed the people that knew love were more ready for it. Just rambling but hopefully somebody gets something out of this.
If you want to be a bad ass revolutionists just start excepting, talking about and celebrating death. The abduction of death is one of the more dangerous mind control games being played right now as I wrote about last year - https://natashaclarke.substack.com/p/when-we-abdicate-death
Aug 27, 2022·edited Aug 27, 2022Liked by Visceral Adventure
Excellent post! Really appreciated and enjoyed this. Very timely subject. I enjoyed Monica's piece on her husband's death as well - evocative and grounded at once.
I was pretty obsessed with death through my lates twenties and throughout most of my thirties. Not in a macabre way though. Rarely did I find anyone who wanted to engage the subject. (Talk about an invisible elephant in the invisible room.)
Deaths that come early, from a crazy out-of-the-blue illnesses or unexpected accidents or I don't know, a global democide break unspoken agreements and tend to unsettle. We can deal with older folks dying, we can deal with long-illness deaths but SADs and kids is challenging even to those of us who are friends with death. And life - even if like me you don't believe anyone ever really dies - is nonetheless precious and each person a unique expression that can never be replicated. Yes, the 'spirit' is infinite and eternal, but that particular form, no, that's temporary, so however positive we might be about death, it's still very sad.
What a clip -I don't remember last time I watched that - decades. So powerful. And I love that Turkish quote!
Thank you for sharing this, Dennis. I’ve been able to glimpse a little in your thought process in the OU chat and resonate with so much. We have had similar paths.
For the record, I think we humans are resilient creatures. No one knows when their number is up, but everyone gets the call. Living well now, in the present moment, is the real connoisseur gift.
“What Dreams May Come” is one of my fave Robin Williams movies. I’ve seen it a dozen times.
Death is a certainty, you will have to deal with it, I have to deal with it. Your grandparents, your parents, your wife and you. It is disturbing to read some commenter's comments on their take on death. It is not something to be admired, glorified or fetishized. Death is the separation of your soul (the 'you' inside your body) from your body. The 'you' inside your body is everlasting from when it was created. It will live forever somewhere. The question is where, not if. If you can't come to grips with the existence of a creator, you are blind and can't be expected to grasp that your decisions prior to death will determine where. Everyone thinks that their definition of a well lived life determines where. But it doesn't. It is the decision to recognize, understand and accept the creator on His terms that determines the where. I welcome discussion. BTW, I like this article and just found you today via the very moving an beautifully done SADS world linked by Josh Guetzkow/Jackanapes Junction substack. Happy to land here. Love
I get now why I have been drawn to death and dying. Why I had to take the Death Doula course, why I had to take the bereavement facilitator course to talk about death and grief. Why I went to group workshops to cry as a group about the devastation we are doing to Earth and her creatures.
I love talking about death. It's my favorite topic. Unfortunately I don't have anyone to talk to about it with (or about anything else either.) Death is with me 24/7. I feel its presence and I long for it. No one who is in denial about death is really alive, either. It's a paradox.
A lot of the problems we face today are due to the fear of death. We would benefit greatly (as a society and individuals) if we discussed it openly.
excellent piece. Generates a cascade of thoughts, I may attempt to put together and formulate my own bit of writing on this topic. Very well done.
I've lived a blessed life where death always happened far away from me. Of course over time it has knocked closer and closer but given I'm 41 years old I've lucked out. This post reminds me of a Robin Williams movie that was over the top but the imagery burned into my head in 'What Dreams My Come'. A landscape of a tree that as the movie progresses turns from color to black and white, parts of the landscape go dark.
I suffered from some anxiety starting in 2017 but I drink too much alcohol and coffee so have it coming. I think people could sense that in me and at a bed and breakfast we vacation at once a year the owner made it a point to talk to me and let me know death isn't something to be afraid of. On mu way to get vaccinated my Dad let me know that he isn't afraid of death and he brought it up in a way that sounds confrontation but it wasn't, it was on point, where he said I'm not afraid of death like you are. He was right. I was afraid.
I'm not as afraid of dying as I was but I'm not done yet is the issue. I got kids to raise and I still feel I have something important to do with my career. But I"ve had 41 years. And I'm beginning to come to grips that if it was time...I had a decent run. Lots of happy memories. Lots of love.
Another bad movie had Gandolfini talking to Julia roberts about how of the people he killed the people that knew love were more ready for it. Just rambling but hopefully somebody gets something out of this.
Hi Visceral, I'm a fiddler too, my favorite spot to play for a few years was a cemetery.
If you want to be a bad ass revolutionists just start excepting, talking about and celebrating death. The abduction of death is one of the more dangerous mind control games being played right now as I wrote about last year - https://natashaclarke.substack.com/p/when-we-abdicate-death
Excellent post! Really appreciated and enjoyed this. Very timely subject. I enjoyed Monica's piece on her husband's death as well - evocative and grounded at once.
I was pretty obsessed with death through my lates twenties and throughout most of my thirties. Not in a macabre way though. Rarely did I find anyone who wanted to engage the subject. (Talk about an invisible elephant in the invisible room.)
Deaths that come early, from a crazy out-of-the-blue illnesses or unexpected accidents or I don't know, a global democide break unspoken agreements and tend to unsettle. We can deal with older folks dying, we can deal with long-illness deaths but SADs and kids is challenging even to those of us who are friends with death. And life - even if like me you don't believe anyone ever really dies - is nonetheless precious and each person a unique expression that can never be replicated. Yes, the 'spirit' is infinite and eternal, but that particular form, no, that's temporary, so however positive we might be about death, it's still very sad.
What a clip -I don't remember last time I watched that - decades. So powerful. And I love that Turkish quote!
Thanks for linking - I'm honored.😊
Thank you for sharing this, Dennis. I’ve been able to glimpse a little in your thought process in the OU chat and resonate with so much. We have had similar paths.
For the record, I think we humans are resilient creatures. No one knows when their number is up, but everyone gets the call. Living well now, in the present moment, is the real connoisseur gift.
“What Dreams May Come” is one of my fave Robin Williams movies. I’ve seen it a dozen times.
Please find some related references on the all-important topic of death or the fact that death is the constant message of life.
http://www.beezone.com/adi-da/death_message.html
http://www.easydeathbook.com/purpose.asp beautiful prose
http://www.aboutadidam.org/dying_death_and_beyond/index.html
http://deathanddyingwisdom.com
Death is a certainty, you will have to deal with it, I have to deal with it. Your grandparents, your parents, your wife and you. It is disturbing to read some commenter's comments on their take on death. It is not something to be admired, glorified or fetishized. Death is the separation of your soul (the 'you' inside your body) from your body. The 'you' inside your body is everlasting from when it was created. It will live forever somewhere. The question is where, not if. If you can't come to grips with the existence of a creator, you are blind and can't be expected to grasp that your decisions prior to death will determine where. Everyone thinks that their definition of a well lived life determines where. But it doesn't. It is the decision to recognize, understand and accept the creator on His terms that determines the where. I welcome discussion. BTW, I like this article and just found you today via the very moving an beautifully done SADS world linked by Josh Guetzkow/Jackanapes Junction substack. Happy to land here. Love