My friend’s sister nanny passed away this week, the nanny looked after her two nieces age 6 and 9. She got in touch asking if I knew how to break the news of how life endless journey inevitably ends.
My perspective is a child reaction is very similar to an adult. The unavoidable is more difficult when no one speaks about it, like when watching my father take his last breath. It would have been more life shattering if my mother didn’t openly encourage us to talk about our feelings and to make sure I understood the process. My younger brother didn’t engage in our dialogue and but the issue in the shadows, two and half years later he is still struggling with his grief. Key lesson is to be open and speak about death, its only part of life.
Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture is but a great example that death is a reminder that as life gets taken away are we as American statesman James F. Byrnes said; “thinking of security instead of opportunity. (Do we) seem to be more afraid of life than death.”
Prophet Mohammed (s.a.a.w.) said that “the most intelligent person is the one who often remembers death. Constant remembrance of it prevents one from evil and sin and motivates him towards good morals.”
Death is there to make us appreciate life.
