The Prompts of Death (two more passed people to share)

Death is something most of us are shielded from in the early years of life. A pet, an elderly distant relative—these are common introductions to this concept completely foreign to someone looking up at a world with anticipation of being big enough to get his/her hands on it.

Eventually, it sinks in that our parents are not around forever—and that we aren't, either. But still from a position of eagerness to be a grown-up, our concern with our bio-clock is that it's not moving fast enough.

Then, we become adults, and we get our hands on the life we've made. We're also fully exposed to death—and its theft from that life we've built. This might be through losing the people we know and love, exposure in certain careers (i.e. health care), losing the celebrities we've grown up with, fatal tragedies headlined across the tops of our screens, and even our own bodies showing signs of having peaked.

Aside from grieving for the loss of loved ones, death's main affect on us can be as a reminder. A reminder telling us...

Everything is temporary.
Cherish every moment by being fully present.
Stay out of mental ruts (perhaps take a different way home from work).
Connect with those with whom you've been too distant.
Exercise the courage to improve.

Go for it.

Be kind.

Be happy to be alive.

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Following last week's memorial to Christina, I shared another death (two, actually) related to my homelessness documentary project.

When it comes to this project, being able to hear from two passed people will shed light on the pervasiveness of the drug epidemic and the turmoil threading through the lives of many in the Minnesota Native American community.

When it comes to this week's message, they are reminders of temporariness—and all the prompts that come with it.

Have a cherished week.