”When it comes time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.”
- Cheif Tecumseh
Filed under Quotes
From David’s Schnarch’s book Passionate Marriage…
The biggest trust issue in marriage isn’t about trusting your partner. It’s about whether of not you can really trust yourself. The better your partner, the better your ability to soothe and console yourself needs to be. It’s not safe to love your partner more than you can self-soothe, especially if you always need him or her to “be there for you.” Your partner won’t be there to hold your hand and comfort you through his or her death. You’ll go through that alone. The increasing vulnerability that arises from your partner becoming more important to you makes a passionate marriage daunting. Many of us know we can’t trust ourselves with this enormous risk.
Love is not for the weak, nor for those who have to be carefully kept, nor for the faint of heart…
Who among us has the strength to love on life’s terms? How many of us can say to our partner, “You go first. I don’t want you to die, but you’re entitled to your own life and your own death. Go easily. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of myself somehow. Holding onto myself with you has made me strong enough to do that.”
Filed under Quotes, Relationships
I’ve posted this link before, but I’ve been thinking about it lately so I’m posting it again. I think everyone in the world should watch it…
http://video.pbs.org/video/1430431984/
(I did not write this. The guy in the video references this fable…)
Once, a young monk was sent forth from the monastery to carry a message to another monastery far away. As he walked through the dense forest, he caught glimpses of orange fur in the dappled shade and heard low growls. Surmising that he was being stalked by a tiger, he quickened his steps, but the large cat easily kept pace with him. Fear gnawed at the young monk, and he began to run blindly through the trees, leaving the path he knew in an attempt to outdistance the hungry cat whose panting breath he could feel upon his neck.
The monk lost his way, and to his terror, found himself at the edge of a great precipice. Behind him, he heard the tiger stop, and begin pacing back and forth among the trees, its golden eyes glinting among the leaves. Shaking, the monk looked down and saw that there were vines clambering over the jagged rocks and he determined to try and climb down them. Just as he swung himself over the cliff, and began clambering down the vines which creaked under his weight, he heard the tiger roar, and saw it stare balefully down at him from above.
From below cane an answering roar, and the monk startled and looked down to see a second tiger, pacing along the stones that lined the bottom of the cliff face, waiting for him to descend.
Shuddering, the young monk closed his eyes and clung to the vine, his only means of support. The sound of nibbling teeth caught his attention and he opened his eyes to see a mouse chewing at the vine that held him suspended between the hungry cats.
Next to the mouse, he saw a flash of red.
A wild strawberry grew in a crevice of the stone, and a lone fruit shone invitingly.
The monk reached out, and plucking the crimson fruit, held it to his nose. The sweet fragrance rushed into his nostrils as the last bit of the vine gave way and the monk began to fall. As he plummeted toward the tiger, the monk popped the strawberry in his mouth, and the flavor was the sweetest thing he had ever experienced.
Filed under Depression / Mental Health, Happiness, Life, Yours Truly
If you ever feel like you are taking life for granted and would like to change your mind-set (at least for awhile), watch this…
Filed under Life
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*got these questions from >> here <<
Filed under Life, Yours Truly
It’s completely random that I’m adding two Diamond Rio songs. This one I’m just adding because I’ve always liked it. Reminds me life is a short series of events. 
Filed under Songs I Like
I recognize that at times I’m borderline morbid, but generally, I find a sort of ecclesiastical freedom in remembering that life is a temporary thing. I just like knowing that all the pressure I let myself feel in life is really pretty silly. Anyway, I bought this book called “After I’m Gone: Thoughts, Wishes, Memories, & Secrets to Share with Those I Love.” It’s kind of a journal, but is full of questions about your childhood, family, friends, hobbies, travel, funeral wishes, etc… everything from “The biggest compliment I ever got was… The person who gave it to me was…” to “My pallbearers are to be…” I’ve only just started filling a few things out, but I’m finding it a great tool for reflection. I’m going to write down a few of my answers for posterity…
The tradition I loved most as a child was… waking up early on Christmas morning.
I always fantasized about… owning a horse.
My oldest friend is… Best Friend R.
Two places I wish I had traveled to are… Tibet, South Korea.
The best family vacation I ever went on was to… Tennessee (or Maine).
When people first meet me, they usually think I am… quiet.
I have always tried to be good at… everything.
The thought that most often runs through my mind is… That’s/It’s/I’m okay.
My favorite prayer is… “Lord, help me.”
Something I always wanted to do but never got the chance to was… skydive.
If reincarnation exists, I want to return as a… Theravada Buddist monk or a Spanish nun.
Celebrate my life by…. Holding hands with your love, easing the lives of and bringing joy to old people, and being open to Jesus.
I hope that in the future my sibling will… find every happiness possible on this earth.
The music I want played at my funeral is… “Untitled Hymn” (Come to Jesus) by Chris Rice.
The psalms, hymns, and prayers I want recited [at my funeral] are… ”How Can I Keep From Singing” (hymn), “In the Garden” (hymn) and Psalm 103 (Read by Best Friend T).
I want readings and speeches to include… parts of: Isaiah 43, I Cor. 13, Ecclesiastes; all of Gen. 5:24 (<my life verse).
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“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” ~Genesis 5:24
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“Untitled Hymn” (Come to Jesus) by Chris Rice
The link… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_hV8L65Rqo
Filed under Life, People in My Life, Yours Truly
About a month ago in class we were working in small groups and were supposed to share what we would want said in our eulogy. The whole class session was on grief and this particular exercise was to help us get in touch with our mortality, a difficult task. However, given that I’m occasionally a bit morose, I had a ready answer…
My answer was, “She loved well and was at peace with herself and God.” That’s what I would want to be said if it was true. However since I gave that answer, there a couple things I can’t believe I left out.
1) She was open-hearted, always welcoming people into her life and heart, loving them however she could.
2) She had a great relationship with her family/friends/husband (<if that happens), who she dearly loved.
There. That’s the end toward which I daily live.
Filed under Life, Yours Truly
My dog, Kaiti – my source of unconditional love – died today.
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Photo: Taken 1998 when we got her.
Filed under People in My Life
