Proceeding from the premise that actions speak louder than words, the occasion that we Americans generally refer to as the funeral speaks volumes about our regard for death. My observation leads me to believe that most of us still regard death as the enemy to be conquered by immortality, the veracity of which will be demonstrated in churches around the world this coming Easter. It was in the 1970 film Little Big Man that I encountered the wisdom of Old Lodge Skins, the Native American character who I feel does a much better job of capturing the spirit of the Christ:
Today is a good day to die.
Come out and fight! It is a good day to die! Thank You for making me a Human Being! Thank You for helpin' me to become a warrior! Thank You for my victories, and for my defeats! Thank You for my vision, and the blindness in which I saw further! You make all things and direct them in their ways, O Grandfather. And now You have decided the Human Beings will soon walk a road that leads nowhere. I am gonna die now, unless death wants to fight. And I ask You for the last time to grant me my old power to make things happen.
[Lies down to die. After a moment, props himself up on his elbows to add:]
Take care of my son here. See that he doesn't go crazy.
PS Happy birthday, Rob!
Thanks Mark -
ReplyDeleteToday is a good day to live now. Death will come soon enough.
Thanks for being and sharing my friend.
Mark, I love your "parts" on death because as I get closer to it moment by moment, I try to appreciate life more and more.
ReplyDeleteI did notice that you have titled two of your parts "Born to Die, part twenty-two".
Did you do this on purpose to see if we would notice? Or are there two parts to part 22, or is it a Catch 22? Please clarify.
I hope that you don't have to re-number.
;o)
Signed the "chapter number auditor"
I find your Catch 22 idea to be much better than the fact that I can't count, so I'm going with that. Now that I know somebody is reading this stuff I'll have to proof more carefully.
ReplyDelete