"Now that death had resumed its normal rhythm, it's tempo accelerated only by certain raw winds, the planters have themselves over t drinking and card-playing, demoralized by their forced association with the soldiery..."
The Kingdom of this World a Novel
-Alejo Carpentier
This excerpt makes me think about death in our own lives and how it is extremely tragic at the time, but life continues to move forward. Often we feel as though life should stop altogether because of the tragedy that happens in our life-the unexpected death of a parent, the grief at the loss of a sibling or even a child that is taken from this life far too soon for our liking.
The world seems to pause for a moment, everyone giving out condolences and offering you time to come to terms, but all too soon life picks up again and one is expected to get back into the swing of things.
Other people seem to forget what is forever branded upon our hearts and don't understand why we are continuing to live in the past. Why is it that we cannot understand each other's pain beyond a certain point?
I love how Kenny Chesney expresses it in his song "Who You'd be Today". He talks about how it isn't fair that this person died too young, how he can't forget the memories and the pain and is always thinking about what that person would be like today if they were still alive.
Why is the pain so bitter? Esecially as members when we know that we will see them again, that they are free from the pains and afflications of this world?
I don't think that there is an easy answer to these questions. While death is something that will eventually happen to all of us, it seems that it is something we are rarely prepared for. It's like we all know that we are going to die, but we don't really believe it. Why do you think think it is such a hard concept to grasp? Is it because our minds naturally shy away from unpleasant thoughts or things that we cannot control? Or does it go along with the mindset that most people have, that they are an exception to the rule? That mindset tells a person that: I can text while I drive because nothing will happen, I can ride a motorcycle without a helmet because I won't crash, I can go hiking or spelunking by myselve because I won't get lost, or I can go running alone at night because there is no way I would ever get raped...right???
What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with my theory or do you have a different one? Have you noticed these things in other people? Have you experienced it yourself?
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