I've had a strong reluctance to take down my Christmas tree this year. What does that have to do with death, and dying, and funeral directing?
Well, maybe absolutely nothing. I do LOVE Christmas and have loved soaking in the flickering magic of a lit tree since I was a little girl. I took an impromptu poll of friends, and while everyone has different excuse, I'm certainly not alone in my procrastination.
But also, maybe it has absolutely everything to do with death and dying. If being a funeral director does nothing else, it provides the constant reminder that life, in the sense we know it, ends. Sooner or later. For everyone. And this year, it has plagued me in a particularly heavy way that each of us, at some point, is living our last Christmas. We just don't know it. Most of us won't know it, either at all or until after the fact.
And while I'd like to believe that it's highly unlikely this was my last Christmas -I can't know for sure. Or maybe it was just the last Christmas before we lost ____________. Fill in the blank with your own pet, loved one, friend, family member.
I know, I know! These are super morbid thoughts right here at the New Year when we're supposed to be setting our goals for life and healthy living, but aren't we all a little motivated by our desire to stave off death anyway? It's there. Lingering in the depths. How lucky are you to have a weirdo friend like me to bubble it up to the surface?!
So, the bottom line is I'm leaving the tree up a little longer this year. Soaking in a few more nights of flickering magic and memories. If it was the last one, I lived it. I was here for it and I'll know I squeezed out every drop. And hopefully, as my grandmother used to say, "Lord willin' and the creek don't rise," I'll get to do it again next year!
Happy New Year RIPeeps!
