Why write?

Someone asked me the other day, “How’ the blog going?  I didn’t know how to answer that.  “Who’s following”.  “What are the responses?”

Honestly, I haven’t paid much attention to any of that.  The blog was intended as a forum, to put things out there for others to read.  I notified everyone I know about the blog, how to find it, and the rest is up to them.

I think I mentioned briefly last week, people have their own lives and aside from thinking that’s all great and all, they don’t really get invested.

For me, it has been great.  I love having the daily forum to write and will continue to do so whether anyone follows or not.  If all of my words are going into the great abyss, so be it.  I was always the best listener of my words anyway.

To those of you reading, thank you.  I’m never going to ask you to, “Spread the word”, or anything like that.  If you enjoy a daily dribble of my thoughts, that’s good enough for me.

So today, remember to laugh, whenever you can… at death.  When it comes to death, you have to have a sense of humor.  I’ve never attended a viewing or a funeral that I have haven’t laughed at, even if only internally.  The entire process is, well, quite insane.

Death is never going to lose.  It’s like the Harlem Globetrotters.  Whether it’s right after tip off, at halftime, or even if you take it to triple overtime, eventually, death will win out.

I was first diagnosed with cancer at 33.  After my recovery, I set my sights on what I though would be a reasonable life expectancy.  Fifty.  I reached that goal in 2010.  Then, in 2014, I was diagnosed with cancer again, at age 54.  After that recovery I set my new life goal.  Seventy.  Seems logical.  But now, that’s only a little over 12 years away and seems a bit short.  But I’ll take 70 if you offered it to me today.

If I go before it’s expected please know this.  There won’t be a viewing or a funeral.  So you won’t have a body to curse at or a grave to spit on.  In fact, only the misses gets a last look at the shell, then into the oven I go (I always did like the heat).

There’s orders for a party, with good food and drink and anyone who dares wear black will be tossed out.  Have a good remembrance and go on with LIFE.  After all, we only get one (sorry, just my opinion).

At least our florist will be spared hearing those four words most dreaded in their profession…”In lieu of flowers”.  Remember when it was never even a thought.  Death.  Flowers.  Death.  Flowers.  Now its donate to the American Cancer Society, or to Hospice or to the SPCA.  Which of course is the right thing to do.  The flowers always seemed almost as idiotic as filling a body with fluid, dressing it up with clothes and makeup to sort of resemble what was once a living, breathing unit.  So that will be our last memory of that person?  Isn’t that why we have a memory, to remember that person as they were?  At their funniest, their most healthy, their most generous?

Do we ever need to hear again, “They did a great job on him, geez, he looks like he’s sleeping”.  Yeah, I can barely see the claw marks from the pit bull that attacked him.  Let’s do away with the idea of dressing up the dearly departed like Ken and Barbie dolls.  Instead, place out a great photo, tell a great story and toast their memory.

I was always a big fan of the closed casket, photograph on top.

Everyone has their own grieving process.  But do it because you want to do it and not because you have to follow some time-honored tradition.

As for me, whether I make it to 70 or not, I’ve have a great time.  And if I’m wrong and we all eventually meet again, I’ll be happy to hear most of you tell me, “I told you so”.  Even though I prefer the heat, I hope it’s not too hot.