Life happens so quickly and so slowly all at once. We go through life, taking it for granted and believing we have all the time in the world, and then one day we find ourselves staring in the mirror only to realize our 20th, 40th, or 50th high school reunion is happening this year. The weight of this wonderful life feeds my words for this article. Juanita, my great aunt who recently passed, this article is dedicated to you.
Growing up, I was no stranger to death; not in the way you might think. I was lucky enough to not have a close member of my family pass away until I was 34. However, my family lived next to our local funeral home, which was convenient as my father was the local funeral director. This experience led to a unique perspective on life and death. Throughout my childhood, my brother and I frequently spent time playing hide and seek around caskets on display, watching our father print out obituaries, and experiencing a side of life most people do not see until they are older.
When I look back on those early childhood years, I realize now, I was witnessing this great cycle of life; particularly the ending phase. I am grateful to have been introduced to death in such a manner; a manner in which it was everyday life, because it is. Death is all around us. We die a hundred times over in our own personal life’s journey before we make our final transition out of this world. Embracing death, allows you to embrace change. You are allowed to shed your old skin which is no longer serving you and level up. Seeing death also brings awareness to the limited time we have here on this earth. We will all reach this final transition one day; it is up to you what you make of the time in between.
Many of us are living our lives distracted both at home and at work; the entire marketing world is built around these distractions. A study from 2022 states that the typical person is distracted 31.6 to 60 times a day. This study also stated only 12% of employees are productive at work, because of the pandemic and the digital overload. Each distraction pulls our attention from our main focus for an average of 20 minutes. With everyone and everything around us causing distractions, when was the last time you were able to focus your attention on yourself? When was the last time you reflected on your life?
And so, I ask you…
What will your time here be made of?
Will you make a difference in the life of another?
How is your life being filled?
Are you living the life you want?
What are some of the personal deaths you have experienced within yourself to make you who you are today?
If your final phase was to begin today; would you have regrets?
When I am in a transitional time, I like to step away, decompress, and reflect. During these times, I ask myself similar questions. The passing of my great aunt, a woman I knew by her laugh and her energetic warmth, was one of these occasions. What I discovered during this reflection is gratitude. Gratitude is the frequency of receiving. It is also the same vibrational frequency of love, 540MHz. This powerful frequency is so healing and fulfilling that within it, your body can leave you feeling lighter physically, emotionally, and mentally. If you struggle to call in your gratitude, I suggest listening to vibrational music in the 540MHz frequency.
If you are in a time of transition, change, or death (this can be the physical death of a loved one or the death of your old self) step away, decompress, and do your reflections. Below is a set of guided gratitude statements that you may choose to follow and journal.
-I see my childhood: the good, the bad, the struggles. I am so grateful for the lessons I have learned and the empathy I have gained from these experiences. I take a deep breath in; the air fills my lungs, and I am thankful. Grateful to be alive today and yesterday.
-I see my future. I envision where my life is to take me. I see the impact my life will have on my friends, family, and others. I am so grateful to live this life and interact with those whom I care for. I take a deep breath in; the air fills my lungs, and I am thankful. Grateful to be alive today and tomorrow.
-I see my imprint on the earth. I see how I am to care for Mother Earth and what I may need to do to increase my care or deepen my devotion. I am present to the wind around me. I hear the bird’s call. I see the sun shining. I take a deep breath in; the air fills my lungs, and I am thankful. I feel the air travel in and out of my body. I am alive and I am grateful. Grateful to be alive today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
I encourage you to journal regarding anything that came up during this article.
Death, in all forms, is a difficult subject and can invoke many emotions.
References:
Reclaimai. 2022, Task Management Trends Report, https://reclaim.ai/blog/task-management-trends-report; 06.21.2024
Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler
Certified Clinical Herbalist
Certified Clinical Nutritionist
Flower Essence Practitioner
Owner of MEGAN & CO. Herbal Apothecary and Teahouse
www.meganandco.com
