Happy Valley

Look at the names of the nursing homes, assisted living homes in your town.  They seem in the main, to get names that deny you are dying or getting old.  We do seem to have a desire in our culture to avoid thinking about death.  It is inevitable so why not accept it and then enjoy the days that you have?  All we have is today and it is one day closer to death, but I don’t have to become maudlin over it.  I am called a “senior” Paulist.  It means I am seen as a priest who is not so much expected to be full time on a staff, earning a salary from the parish, as I am seen as someone with a reduced capacity on the way to death.  No matter how busy I stay or how much exercise and good eating habits I have I am going to die.  So I try to enjoy the day.  It is a gift.  And maybe I can be helpful to someone else who is not having so much enjoyment.  Just because we die alone does not mean we have to live that way.  And if someone else is alone due to addiction or age, I have this day to reach out.