sudden death
the thing about living in a first world country is: we somehow are much more detached from sickness, deseases and death. many things can be cured and everything else happens hidden from view in hospitals or homes for the elderly. only the odd car crashes or some national catastrophes bring death in sight once in a while.
i guess thats the reason why a sudden, unexpected death of someone close to you feels like a wake up call. ultimately it is not going to make you turn your life around, it’s not going to affect your faith (or lack thereof), but it does emphasise the fact that death is a reality, an unavoidable certainty. for a few hours, days or weeks we walk around with eyes wide open, mortality lurks around every corner. we mourn, and we grief. but its not just about the death of a loved one. there is also the realisation that our own life will come to a definite end at some point, the feeling that we need to embrace life even more than ever. and the hope that we will keep walking with open eyes from now on. if we dare.
