Celebrate Life and Death

An old friend died a few days ago and I should be happy!!!
When did you ever hear a conversation start that way? Probably never is my guess. But wait and think a moment: She was in great discomfort and pain for the last several months of her life. She had strong core religious convictions that guaranteed her a place in Heaven (hers) and she is no longer suffering. Why shouldn’t we be happy for her? Her religious friends believe that she is in a far better place than here, and with their God, whatever that means. And I believe she had a good life lived well and at the end was very sick and suffered and had no hope of recovery.
So why shouldn’t we be happy for her?
We are sad to lose a good friend sister aunt cousin, but the feeling of relief on her behalf should overtake those feelings and replace them with a sense of all is now well with her.
So celebrate the life of the departed, remember the good times and laugh at the foibles, but don’t be sad. Be happy.
By any measure, she is.

Image: http://www.jjchandler.com/tombstone/