Today marks the 6th anniversary of the death of one of my dearest and closest friends. On New Year’s Eve 2004, my friend took her own life. My 1st born child was only 3 months old. Her death was devastating and incomprehensible and still continues to be so. She was the kind of sister I always wanted and didn’t have… the girl friend who taught me how to give of myself unconditionally, lift up others and bring joy to those around. She taught me how to laugh and how to live genuinely.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to a Girls’ Night Out Christmas party. It ended fairly early, around 9pm. When I left the house, which is only a 1/2 block from the Navesink River, the wind was whipping something wicked. I quickly ran to my car and turned on the heat. I drove home comfortably warm and arrived at my destination in less than 10 minutes. Now, in the past few days, the snow from the blizzard looms outside my home.
When faced with these extremes, I begin to ponder the fortitude and perseverance of the human race. In our modern world with the convenience of automobiles and the comfort of an insulated house built with an automated thermostat and furnace (don’t forget running water), I ponder how our ancestors possessed the drive to make it through a 17th Century winter, no less a blizzard.
Ultimately, I question why some humans find the desire to continue on with life, to survive at all costs, while others do not. [Read more...]
My dear friend Sue has a plaque that she keeps at her work station. It reads “Attention everyone, this is God. I will be solving all of your problems today. I do not require your help.”
