Entry for February 07, 2007 In the end..

Arrived at work this mornning to find my boss's sister-in-law passed away yesterday. She had the flu, was a smoker and overweight. They think she may have contracted pneumonia without being aware. She was 37.

I just watched the "Fields of Gold" video from an earlier entry, and if you have not seen it, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Eva was about that same age when she died, and I am left thinking of what I'll leave behind when my time comes. My life has been strange and wonderful, frequently not doing the things that were expected of me, not doing the things that could have given me material wealth as I face the end of my own life. But, looking back, I cannot imagine doing other than I have done.

And so I find myself pondering life, the universe and everything, probably not much closer to a meaningful answer than I was when I set out for work this morning, but happy to be able to think, to breathe, to share my thoughts with some special people. I barely knew Kelley, and never heard of Eva Cassidy until after she had passed. I wonder at the transition from life to not-life, whether the instant of death, no matter how long or short the suffering the suffering that precedes it, is a moment of anguish, or one of joy - and it seems there is but one way to find out. In that case, I am in no hurry to know.

But I do believe, as the Beatles sang....
"and, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make..."

RIP, Kelley Singleton, Eva Cassidy, those who have recently persished in the frigid weather East of here and all the others whose names I will never know. I hope you made enough of a difference in someone's lives to be remembered, with a tear and a smile.Be well,