A funeral closer to my own

I had a vision at the funeral I went to last Friday.  The words appeared resplendent in my consciousness: “You are one funeral closer to your own.”  Speak of a humbling moment that spoke gratitude deep into the fissures of my heart.

Not just a sombre thought, but a wise
and self-compassionate thought:
every funeral I go to is
one that’s closer to my own.

Death is not something that any of us should be afraid of, principally because it is inevitable, and those who believe have a hope for a beautiful life beyond this one.

Death is beautiful if only we can imagine another reality beyond death and loss and grief.  See how in transforming our perception we retrieve hope out of despair?  

The spiritual life conquers every fear
this side of the eternal gasp.

The spiritual life sees realities beyond the constraints of the physical life.  It is unencumbered by the things that we see and hear and feel.  The spiritual life is open to all possibilities that are otherwise invisible to this world’s eyes. 

The value of this spiritual concept
is undeniable in the here and now,
as well as over the lifespan
as we look back at the end of it.

Perhaps overall this is the only thing we really need to master in his life, given that death and loss and grief are challenges that would cause all to stumble.

Loss is an activator for life and grief is its teacher.  But the nemesis of the life of learning is entitlement.  Entitlement is nestled in all of us.  It looms largest when we kick against the goads.  When we insist upon a control we don’t have.

Entitlement insists we have
control over that which we don’t.  

Once our ego of entitlement—that which insists we have control over that which we don’t—has been dealt with—that is, it is destroyed—we can live, at last.  

See how it is that loss was the activator of this process, and that it was grief that taught us?  See how life emerges out of death?  See the wisdom in the notion of resurrection?

Grief teaches us to hold life extremely lightly,
and by this feather-hold we live grateful.

And gratitude unadorned is true life.

We are all on a journey toward our own funeral.  Live with that concept front of mind and we live wisely numbering, and thankful for, our days.  Loss and grief takes us close to these spiritual realities, and that (for me) is the purpose in the suffering that awaits us all.  

Living in the knowledge
that the best is yet to come
is wisdom enshrined
in an indefatigable hope.