Confession...

       It was a rather unusual request that appeared in my email box. The request came from a friend who's had a number of close calls with death over the years. However, he's not in apparent danger now. He sent me a copy of his funeral service and requested my response to it. It was well planned and inspirational, I responded.

     When he called me talk about it I told him he should write his obituary. That's a good idea he said. A couple of days later he emailed me a copy of his obituary. It was bursting with gratitude and filled with relational information about the persons who have blessed his life.

     Now for the confession. I have encouraged others to write their obituaries but I have not written my own. This reality, and transaction with my friend about his funeral service and obituary, came to mind when I read this article in the Washington Post

By SARAH PULLIAM BAILEY Washington Post

The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor spent a portion of Good Friday planning her death. The Episcopal priest hopes to outline the music she would like to hear as her life comes to an end, the floral scent she hopes to smell and which of her 12 hand-pieced quilts she intends to hold.

Taylor is not ill, but at 68, she falls squarely into the age range especially vulnerable to COVID-19. So before Taylor spoke in virtual gatherings about death and resurrection last week, she had already prepared her advanced care directives, designated power of attorney over her affairs, and plans to be buried — near her parents and sister.

“Few people are up for this conversation,” said Taylor, a nationally known author who lives in Georgia. “You won’t believe how many people walk away from me when I bring this up.”

   I, too, am in "the age range especially vulnerable to COVID-19."   Power of attorney is in place, advance directives are on file and I want to buried with Joanne.  Planning the funeral service is not important to me, my survivors should do what is meaningful to them. Doing my obituary would be a gift to them.


Takk for alt,,

Al