grace

Illustrations © Barbara J Holzapfel

I recently discovered a beautiful book, Through Kenny's Eyes - the magnificent journey from illness to ecstasy, written by Carol and Ken Jones.

"As one who never opted for any form of chemo, I can say that my quality of life has steeply increased as my disease has steadily progressed. I feel as though I am among the "Living Free". I have so little standing between me and my awareness of God, that practically all I see is beauty. I take meds to control the pain, and I handle the basic body functions to keep it going, and my consciousness dances free in the Light of God."

I find it so interesting, the reality of anticipated death in contrast to our societies perception of dying. With every death I have researched plus the few I have witnessed, the days and hours leading up to death are infused with the indisputable grace of life. Is it our ego that drives us to refute the beauty of dying, and passionately cling to the paramountcy of life? Or is it the simple fear of the unknown?

Either way, if we can redefine our promise of life to include the potential grace of death, perhaps we may begin to shift our stance from one of fear and resistance, to love and acceptance.