One of my friends made an observation about death and dying. I’m starting to gather some of these thoughts as I prepare a novel with a funeral director as the main character.
“It’s not the idea of dying – it’s the idea of leaving.”
When you examine the Christian doctrine of death and resurrection, there is no room for doubt. Death is swallowed up in victory. The victory is that Christians will be resurrected to a new life, with new bodies and an eternity with God.
That part makes the idea of dying a joyous thing.
When you examine your day-to-day relationships, the leaving is difficult. You know that a spouse will suffer a disrupted routine – a new normal will take time and effort to form. You know that children and close loved ones will miss your advice and encouragement. You know that your community, whoever they may be, will find a hole that they will need to fill.
That part makes the idea of leaving a sad thing.