I read my friend Jason's Blog post a bit ago about his mother and her passing from that dreaded thing called cancer. It reminded me of last year and my own mother's fight against cancer and it also made me think about death.
The first time I was introduced to the concept of death I was a very small child. About 6 years old. Someone my parents and I knew passed away, though I have no recollection who that was any more. I do remember vividly asking my mother why all the people were sad.
She kneeled down beside me and explained that our friend had passed away and that the people were sad because they would not be able to see this person again or talk to them until they went to heaven. This made me sad and start to cry and my mother told me that it was okay to be sad, but I could also be happy because our friend was no longer suffering. They had moved on to be with God and they were in heaven now experiencing all the best things.
I thought about the words my mother had spoken to me and that night as I slept I had a dream of my own funeral. It was not a somber occasion as I had witnessed that day, but it was a grand ball. All the women were dressed in elegant ball gowns and all the men in tuxedos. There in the center of the ballroom was my casket resting on a base with wheels under it. People were joyous and happy as they danced around my casket. They were celebrating my life with them and happy for me because I was now with God. Some of them even came and danced with my coffin, wheeling it around the dance floor as they danced.
Ever since I had that dream, I've always believed that's what my funeral would be like. No crying. No feeling of loss... just pure love, joy and happiness for a life spent with good friends on earth and in heaven.
*Originally posted February 12, 2006
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