My mother died on December 1st at the age of eighty five after struggling with Alzheimer’s disease that was first diagnosed in 2005. Prior to becoming affected by the disease, she was a remarkably energetic and enthusiastic woman, frequently traveling out of the country with my father and always ready for a new adventure. Her catch phrase was “What do you want to do now?” To my mom, the world was not a scary place. To the contrary, it was to a large extent an enormous arena for play, exploration and opportunities to meet new people. She will be deeply missed. If there are lessons or reflections to be acknowledged, it is to grab life by the balls and really do everything we can to explore and exploit all the possibilities. Growing older happens to us all. Before you know it, the three observations by the young prince (who later became the Buddha) as he stole out of his walled kingdom to see life outside become more and more apparent. Those three poignant observations were illness, old age and death. Making the very most of our fleeting lives means not just weighing the issues of working and saving for the future (that we hope will meet us when we are older), but a greater willingness to say YES to opportunities and dreams that we are not always so willing to bring to the light of day. My mother was very extroverted so it was in her nature to go out into the world and discover what is out there that is new. For those of us who tend to hesitate, I invoke the spirit of my mom as a guide. I cannot think of a better one to inspire and encourage.
Posted by Howard Brockman
December 11, 2012
Howard Brockman
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