There was a movie of that title once - a long time ago. As I recall, I was probably in my thirties when I saw it, so it was back around the time of the industrial revolution. It starred Maggie Smith. It was wonderful - a lesson in facing our mortality - and doing it with verve and joy. Going out kicking and dancing rather than whimpering.
This has been a good week for looking at mortality. Death is the greatest event in our lives after birth - and we are so afraid of it. I wonder if fetuses (feti?) are afraid of birth.
I don't think I'm afraid of death - I do fear pain. I feel sorrow about losing the beauty of the planet and the people and critters (Abby) that I love. At the same time, I know that I won't really lose them, but that's pure intellectual knowledge - it's not really deep in my gut - yet. And I do say "yet" advisedly. I hope to have enough experiences to bring that understanding into my heart.
I think my greatest sorrow this week has been for the children, the animals, the babies - my heart always breaks for the innocent.
Please, please, please let us learn from this. Please let us take responsibility for this magical planet - harvest power from the sun, the wind, the oceans - it's all there for us. Let us plan forward for seven generations - for a better planet seven generations from now.
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