Being remembered after you are gone

I noticed that there was some things going on in my life that seem to reveal a common theme.  I got to see the movie "Get Low" which had the main character wanting to stage his own funeral while he was still living.  The funeral was going to be a forum for people to say what they really thought about him.  He lived his life by punishing himself by withdrawing from people and life.  He really wanted redemption from a shameful act that he lived with for many decades. 

I got to experience something similar when I sent email out to my bicycling group announcing that I was withdrawing from the leadership team because I could not work with the primary organizer.  I received such an outpouring of appreciation as the result of that notification.  I discounted my positive impact on the people who have been a part of my social-exercise life so being noticed and praised was a surprising validation of who I am and what I do.

My 11 year old or older dog was just diagnosed with diabetes.  She had to go through several episodes of collapse in order for me to find out what is the problem with her.  I got Chili soon after my divorce when I walked away from my home, my children, and soon thereafter, after losing my job.  She was the only reason why I left my apartment three times a day in order to walk her.  Now before I fully knew what her diagnosis was, I thought I was going to lose her.  Her companionship and presence was literally life saving for me during those past dark times.  Now she is a life enhancer for me and my almost adult children.  I guess I included this as part of this theme is because her near death brought sharply to focus what she has brought into my life.  And perhaps, this helps me realize what I bring into HER life as well.

My 96 year old uncle just died.  He was the eldest of 8 siblings of my Mother's family.  His death is signified to me the fading family connection with my Mother.  She passed 18 years ago, a week before my daughter was born.  I got to be with my Mother's brothers and sisters as I was growing up so there was that sense of familial comfort and belonging.  We remembered him before he even died.  We got to talk about the "old days" whenever we were with him, especially when my Mother was still alive.

So it is a stretch to tie these events that occurred within a week of each other into a theme of dying and remembrance?  Perhaps.  Or maybe it is not so much remembrance but redemption?  And is it not the thread more of not needing to die in order to be redeemed?

I believe the message is that it is more how we choose to live our lives right now to create that good karma rather than having to wait until we die.  I believe such reminders of death and dying helps remind all of us to focus on that.  Not only that, I believe that it is a good thing to recognize the positive impact I have on people for that can only encourage me to continue to focus on kindness, joy, respect for self and others and those positive actions will follow from that.

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