Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Paul Hunter Zaid #7

Death and Nature

     This week I received devastating news that my dear friend Gary was losing his battle with cancer. Gary is the father of my best friend Katie who I first met in college back in 1998. I not only became friends with this wonderful woman, but also with her entire family. The Rudningen family became my second family, they accepted me for who I was, they never judged me, gave me endless encouragement, and allowed me to be the person that I really was.

     I'm writing this entry to help myself digest this recent news. I've never experienced a friend facing death and the feeling of helplessness that comes along with it. How does this relate to nature and the environment? I can only see it as the cycle of life in nature. Death is inevitable and something one can never really prepare for or know how we will react to. Death is all around us, the leaves on a tree turn from a lush green to golden yellow, then brown and brittle,  and then falling to the ground. Everyday animals and vegetation are taken by humans for their resources without many of us giving it much thought. I just discovered that according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that globally 8 million people die annually from cancer.

     There is no way to possibly be prepared for death, or to prepare for the roller coaster of feelings that come with this process of knowing one's life has a limit. It's only my hope that for each of us that we can respect and cherish life and see the joy and beauty that each of us possess in having with each day. I hope that I can find the best words and gestures to help a friend prepare for the end of his life.

I believe that you're here on Earth for a short time, and while you're here, you shouldn't forget it. 
Bea Arthur
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