DAY 21: Take a hike

Your parent’s death is nature’s way of breaking the shocking news that it’s your turn next.

I think of it as being next up on life’s diving board, preparing to jump or be pushed into a bottomless, unfathomable pool. This should not come as a surprise but somehow it does, and when you lose someone close to you, it may hit you with surprising force.

This is not a day for swimming. Go for a walk in the woods instead. Think about the raccoons and bears and foxes who live and die there. They aren’t the least bit worried about life’s diving board, and after a while you’ll get used to the idea, too.

Why go on if we all just die in the end? There’s a great reason. If you knew you were going to live forever, imagine how much time you’d waste. Amazing things can happen when there’s a deadline looming.