So, I have actually had this since the middle of February but had not posted it yet. Better late than never, right?
Death. It happens to us all at some point or another. We all experience it with loved ones, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, etc . . . Death is an interesting concept and so is how we all react to death.
I think part of why we all react to death, aside from the fact that you just lost a loved one, is that it reminds us of just how human we are. Most people like to think that they are invincible and do not like to be reminded that they are not. At times, I also think that the closure that death brings is more for us than for the person who is actually dying.
My grandfather passed away at the end of October last year. I loved (and still do) my grandfather a lot. I was really sad when he passed away but happy because he was not in pain any more, he was in a better place, and I know that I will see him again. I was sad because he was gone and I would not have any more opportunities to get to know him better. Unlike some of my cousins who have had many opportunities to get to know him because of close proximity, especially growing up, most of my siblings and I have not. Why? We grew up mainly in Ohio while Grandpa and Grandma lived in Colorado. After his funeral at my Aunt Holly's house, my cousins were all able to share a lot of special memories that they had been able to create with him. I was only able to share more general memories of him. It made me kind of sad but happy for them that they were able to have that with him. I am sad that he is gone because I will not be able to create more memories with him and he will not be there for a lot of important milestones in my life that have yet to happen, like graduating college and getting married someday. And because he will not be here.
Another death that impacted me greatly actually occurred about 1 1/2 weeks before Grandpa passed away but I did not find out about it until February. Warren Johnson was a great man. I taught him in the second area that I served in while on the mission in Minnesota. His wife and him really came to mean a lot to me. They were always willing to help us out with whatever we needed but that is not why they meant a lot to me. It was and is because of who they are. Words cannot adequately express how much he came to mean to me. Warren had brain cancer. I went back to Minnesota in October for a wedding and I was able to visit them for a few minutes. It was so sad and hard to see Warren like that but yet so good at the same time because I was able to say good-bye and tell him that I loved him. It was made even more special by the fact that even though Warren was pretty far gone at that time, he still recognized who I was. One week later (as I recently found out), he passed away in peace. It was better for him because just like Grandpa, who had stomach cancer, he was in a lot of pain. Warren is in a better place now and is not in pain anymore. Even though his death was expected, his death still hit me hard because I loved him and we would not have anymore time on earth to talk and because I will miss him just like I miss Grandpa.
However, I am happy for both Warren and Grandpa. If I did not know about the plan of salvation, death would be that much harder but death is a time to rejoice because you get to go home.
This is the parsley that you dip into salt water. - Symbolic of the coming of spring and the perpetual renewal of life.
Haroset. - A mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon, and wine. - Represents the mortar the Israelite slaves used in Egypt.
The Seder plate. (The white stuff behind the shankbone is the Maror aka the bitter herbs (horseradish).
This picture depicts the exodus from Egypt and is entirely composed of miniature watercolor letters telling the the story from Exodus.
