When did you learn about death? I remember it being taught as a near joyful event where loved ones went to a perfect heaven. That we should be happy, but never were. I’m so insulated from death I can go months without a reminder. Meat comes pre-packaged, disguising it was once a living thing. Advertisers convince me if I take this supplement, or contort this yoga pose, I might just live forever. But death sneaks up on me, like the scarlet corpse of a mauled pigeon I found under my car, so clearly dead, so clearly once alive. 

Fiction Bite - Lethal Traffic

Janie toddled over and flopped on the shaking blanket that hid her mother. Helen’s appeared from under the folds, tear stained. A tiny hand patted her nose.

‘Mummy poorly?’

‘No, sweetie. Mummy’s sad.’

‘Sad. Read a book?’

‘Not now. Play with your puzzles.’

‘Ok.’

Pieces crashed to the floor, and Helen’s face disappeared beneath the blanket. After spreading them across the lounge, Janie tottered back.

‘Daddy?’ A sob burst out, starting Janie.

‘No, Daddy’s not coming home.’

‘Later. Read a book?’

Quote of the Week

“If being a kid is about learning how to live, then being a grown-up is about learning how to die.”

— Stephen King

An exercise

Look for decay this week, the rotten trees, dying plants, roadkill and squashed insects. As the Northern Hemisphere hurtles towards the longest night of the year, it seems an apt time to notice the surrounding darkness. Can you see it being transformed? Leaves becoming soil for spring bulbs, roadkill feeding scavengers, dark turning to light and surely as day turns to night.

Final Words

When I don’t avoid death, but accept its presence, somehow I’m free to live without fear of it, until the lure of immortality erodes away my acceptance. Then the deeper part of me waits, knowing something is coming again to shake me out of my reverie.

With Love

Joe

P.S. What did you think of this week’s email? Which was your favourite bit? Hit reply and let me know.