Sometimes when surfing the inter-webs in search of the next monumentally hilarious or shocking viral video, one can find his or herself suddenly lost down a very dark, precariously twisted path into the murkiest and most depraved reaches of the human mind and soul. There is always that one related video that crosses the line and reaffirms the existence of something horrific, of which you would have preferred to remain oblivious. Web page after page, video after video, blog after blog, your morbid curiosity or perhaps a mind blinded by dismay presses you onward - until finally you can stomach no more. You tell yourself, 'I'm done." As you prepare to shutdown your web browser and shutout the world, you notice a title which catches your eye. One more video, you click it and ...your soul is laid out before you. You want to weep, and perhaps you do.
Such was the case today when I stumbled across this simple, yet remarkable story. The story is not new, nevertheless it is still a poignant, powerful message about life and what matters the most. A dying, 24-year-old Brandy Jewett realized as her time was dwindling away that time is is the only commodity we have of any true value. While theories, hopes, and beliefs abound, none of us know with any sufficient degree of certainty whether or not we will receive more time elsewhere when we give up our physical bodies in this plane of existence. Thusly, a truly wise person is one who does not squander his or her time. However, rarely does one possess such wisdom at the young age of 24. For Brandy, the difference likely was the 14 precious, extra years living paralyzed from below the eyes down on borrowed time with her loved ones, after the accident that crippled her as a child, that bestowed upon her such humbling wisdom and appreciation. In the end, facing the finality of her short life when asked what she wanted, she responded that she wanted to meet and thank the dedicated individuals who gave her more time.
Perhaps it was the tragedy of Brandy's short life, the short lives of so many in the news today, or maybe my own current struggle with serious illness, but I had a hard time writing today's blog. I want to dedicate this blog to those battling or who have already lost the fight with terminal illness, especially those whose illness is not one of the body. I dedicate this also to those taken away from this life far too early whether by illness, service to their country, or other tragic circumstances. Finally, I would like to thank the firefighters, paramedics, and police who do their best to serve and protect, being there for us in our darkest hours and sometimes giving a lucky individual or family more time - even when doing so at their own peril. Thank all these groups of people for your courage and for providing an example of the kind of humans we should all hope to be when our time runs out and we each must face our final hour.
Our own mortality and how we deal with that has been a struggle for humanity from the very beginning. Reasonably, such an important topic would be covered many times in our universal language - music. There were a few runners-up for the lead out video; you can see them and comment on today's blog at my Facebook Group Page.
No comments:
Post a Comment