Peace

If there existed a list that contained all the ways that people die, we could all go through it and every single one of us would eventually come across how we will end up leaving this world.  Even if we wouldn’t necessarily be able to recognize it as such just yet.  This list isn’t a menu.  Most often, we don’t get to choose.  You may be thinking that Covid-19 is a new item recently added to this list.  But it was already there along with many other unknown causes.  Dying from this virus almost always means dying alone in ICU.  No last minute I love yous.  No family or loved ones by our side.  And then, in the midst of this pandemic, so close to home, the deadliest mass murder in Canadian history at the hands of a mad gunman disguised as a police officer.  Such crazy times that we are living in.  So senseless.  So tragic.  Physical distancing preventing us from really coming together like we would need to during these difficult moments.  Broken-hearted.  So sad.  And so terrified.  Maybe our greatest fear isn’t death?  Maybe our greatest fear is not knowing how we are going to die?   Maybe our greatest fear is the physical pain that we may endure before leaving?  Maybe our greatest fear is leaving our loved ones behind?  Living is dangerous.  People have died doing what you are doing at every minute of every day.  We live with a false sense of security with our insurance policies and consumer guarantees but these are but an illusion.  And this illusion has been shattered by these recent events.  It has put us face-to-face with the only sure thing in this life, our mortality.  Not to downplay or disrespect the victims of these tragedies, but in reality we were always as vulnerable even before the eruption of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent shootings in Nova Scotia.  We simply had pushed it at the very back of our consciousness.  May we all give ourselves permission and space to grieve these deep losses.  And may we be reminded how precious and fragile life actually is.  My sincere condolences to everyone affected.  Peace.