A Day that almost didn’t happen.
The fact of life is that at one point everyone will die. Perhaps an overly talked about subject, death is imminent. Death is not scary, at least to me, and at least to others who have come to terms with the idea of impending finality. Death, although not to be feared, should not be sought out. Death is just the beginning of a new adventure.
Despite this, it is always painful when Death comes at times that are unexpected. To be more specific, Death seems sinister when a young person dies. But does it? Perhaps we will be able to unpack that by the end of this post.
When I was a senior in high school, a classmate of mine passed away. I did not know her personally, but many of my classmates had said that she was a really great person who loved art. She was a great young woman of faith, and in retrospect, her passing united us. Her friends seemed to support each other, and it served as a terrific example of friendship, at least for me. Subconsciously, I believe that their example helped me figure out what I wanted from my friendships and the people with whom I surround myself.
A bigger way that my classmate’s passing brought us together was through sports. Our sports teams played in her name, and there was a tournament for her, T-shirts and all. It was truly beautiful and very characteristic of the high school to honor in such a kind and loving way. I think her passing made us all realize that we never truly know the time or place of Death, so if you need to say something, say it today. It might be your last today ever. If you love someone, tell them. It is no use if you keep it to yourself. If you are upset, try to address whatever is upsetting you. You don’t want to be in a state of dissatisfaction on the day of death if you can help it. In short, take hold of your life and make it what you want before it is too late.
These lessons are lessons that I fostered in my life as I started college. My freshman and sophomore years passed. It was slightly rocky in some parts, I am not going to lie. I resented college so much at times that I wish I had never gone. I did not even want to go to college as a Senior in high school. I believed it to be a scam. I still hold that belief today, and it is difficult for me to come to terms with how ridiculous the American idea of college is. I will definitely write a separate post about this, but that is what I believe, abbreviated.
Anyway, I am a Junior now, and just about three weeks to a month ago, on a dreary Tuesday morning, I woke up with less motivation than usual, which was dangerous because I had not woken up the past few mornings with much to begin with. I truly did not want to go to school. I was intent on skipping, but something drove me to just get up, get ready, and drive to school. The two classes I have on Tuesday were, as expected, a bit of a drag. However, I did not regret going because it takes more effort to make up what you missed in class than actually going to class, at least for me.
Proud of myself, I decided to go to Mass after class. It was a beautiful Mass, as usual. But this day happened to be the Anointing of the Sick. Right before the consecration, I looked a little to my left, and saw the back of a t-shirt that looked familiar.
The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?
Hebrews 13:6
I saw the initials on the top of the t-shirt. I was floored. How great is Our God that he spoke to me right before the moment that Heaven and earth are joined. How great is He that He reminded me that going to school was something she never had the chance to do. How great is He that showed me how lucky I am to be alive, despite a close call my Junior year of high school. I was overcome with gratitude and emotion. The host was consecrated, and I felt myself choke up. My God is great.
After Mass, I tapped the young man who wore the t-shirt on the shoulder. He turned around.
“Thank you for wearing that shirt. I needed that reminder.”
He smiled understandingly (he is a year younger than me), “Yea no problem.”
As I was walking out to the Narthex, I spoke to my best friend and another good friend of mine about this, and I choked up all over again. Uncharacteristic of my best friend, he did not make fun of me for this. That’s how I knew that he was taking me seriously. He and I both have had similar sentiments regarding the question of Death.
The question of Death has made me appreciate life. After much growth and development, I love life, and I love the life I have. I am so fortunate to be in college, and despite this attitude seeming to say “appreciate you have for goodness sake”, I appreciate what I have because it is something that my late classmate did not get. I met her once… a week before she left the world. I still have not comprehended the meaning behind this, and perhaps I never will. All I know is that while getting to the point I am now, I grew more comfortable with the idea of Death. It is painful to experience and think about for some. Being alive is all we can do, so why not make the most of it? Taking life by the collar and doing what you want with it, guided by a general sense of moral preferably, has been, for me, a most redeeming quality of a life so plentiful in blessings. Life is tough, I won’t deny that, but attitude is everything, and if you believe in the You that God made, you are unstoppable.
Truly,
A Musing Writer 