Preparation

In the last two months, two of my Loves have been told they need to prepare for the imminent reality that they will die.

It's okay if you want to stop reading now.....no judging.

The worst is that they are young, Moms to Littles.....little Littles who still need their Mamas.

I laugh at that last statement. I am 44 and still need my Mama.

I sat today with my cousin as a vent pumps air into her lungs. Her adorable Little Little sat cozyed up at the foot of her wheelchair. Little played with a plastic butterfly she and her sister made to decorate the window. She would set it on her nose, her mom's foot, her head. 

You must prepare

Some people are good at preparation; they organize, schedule, set meetings before a meeting, post meetings to discuss a meeting. 

I am no good at preparation. I am more of the 'I know you'll love me when you meet me and we will fly by the seat of our pants!'

Perhaps I will be standing at the Pearly Gates, looking for my overnight bag....St. Peter will say 'Did you bring anything?' Pack a bag?'

I will sheepishly say I forgot my bag and can I go back and retrieve it? I will only be a minute, I forgot my razor. 

Perhaps there is no shaving of the legs in heaven. 

According to some, I might be going the other way, in which case, there would be continuous shaving of the legs; without soap...and a dull razor. 

I really don't mean to make light of this. Aside from Samantha and Jack, nothing has made our precious time on this earth more real than these last two months and these two Mamas. Granted, the circumstances of our life has made me more comfortable around death but nothing can deny the fact that this is horribly, tragically unfair. And I find these women incredibly brave. 

I do not know how would I prepare. I do love life. Life is fun. I love wine and chocolate and cheese and kisses and a belly laugh. Perhaps I would pack these all with me in my preparation. 

My friend Heather, fellow lover of life and fellow lover of wine took a sip of a fine Cabernet on her last Thanksgiving and spit it out. It no longer tasted good- it no longer mixed with chemo. 

Maybe that was when is was okay to prepare? 

I personally, have always used wine as a gauge to life :) 

My grandfather, lover of many things naughty claimed he would rather die than give up his cigars. I don't really think he meant it but it left great dramatic effect. He too loved life, or maybe creating a ruckus. 


Perhaps the preparation is for us. The ones left behind. We talk of closure and reconciliation; preparation for a journey someone else will take. 

What would be packed in our life satchel? 

I drove back from my visit with my cousin with my brother and dad. The sun set over a pink sky. My dad asked a funny question. "where will you be the second day you die?" 

My answer is easy, "I will be with my children." 

Where? 

Doesn't matter....I probably won't be prepared and without a razor. But maybe there might be something as good as wine and kisses and a good belly laugh. 

To my Mamas and their Littles.