Death is a part of life, plain and simple. No one escapes it in the physical body, so why is it that so many of us have such a hard time dealing with it? The obvious answer is that we mourn the loss; however, the true answer lies deeper within us. In spirituality we know that everything is infinite and that the death of the physical body is not the end of our journey. It is with this belief that we can find peace in knowing that our dearly departed are still with us, albeit not in physical form. It is understandable to feel sadness when someone that you love dies and it is okay to grieve that loss. Grieving is okay, but it is important to move past the grief and to not hold on to it for too long. When we comprehend the notion that all beings are eternal we begin to understand that no on is ever gone, they just transition into a different state of being. The soul is eternal and has many earthly journeys and a lot of times it reunites with the same soul or souls many times over, so there is a good chance that your loved one and you will meet again in human form in another lifetime. A lot of times there are lessons to be learned together, and in some cases, one is the teacher. Now I do want you to understand that this is my belief, and that I do truly believe in life after death or the afterlife and reincarnation. Science has made remarkable progress in recent years in proving this to be true, but for me it is a knowing that needs no explanation. This knowing is what gives me inner peace. This is a peace that I want everyone to experience.

So, back to my question. Why do so many people have a difficult time dealing with death. I believe that it stems from a form of attachment to that specific person or thing. A lot of times we place too much of an emphasis on things outside of ourselves to obtain happiness. I think that the real answer boils down to fear. If we are living a fear-based reality, then it is understandable that death is scary; however, if we live in a love-based reality, then death is not to be feared. Rather, it is to be embraced as a part of our journey. It is not the end, it’s just another adventure. Take a moment and think of a loved one that is no longer with you and try to remember all the good things about them. Now, how do you feel? Are you feeling sad or happy? If you are feeling sad ask yourself what the sadness is for. You may have to dig deep to get to the root of it but trust me, the sadness is not for the loss, it is from something within you that has not been resolved or dealt with. This is the true source of your sadness. Heal that and you will begin to shift in your awareness and begin living a life filled with more love and joy. When we find joy from within, we truly see the joy in all things. For me this has been essential in dealing with death and a lot of other issues in my life.

On March 11, 2019 at 1:55pm my father at the age of 84 transitioned from his earthly body and began his next adventure. I received a lot of love and support during this time and it was greatly appreciated. Some of the support came in the form of “I’m sorry for your loss” and although I understand the intention and sentiment, I don’t agree with the statement. It is not a loss in my opinion, it is a celebration of the life he lived. I choose to celebrate the life and not the loss. This does not mean that I was not saddened by his passing. I was; however, the sadness was not for him. I came to realize that I was sad because I could no longer hold on to the story of being a victim. Yes, this story was still playing out and I knew that it was about to end. As crazy as it may sound, I became very comfortable living with that story. In that moment deep inside of me I knew that it was time to let go of it once and for all and start claiming what was rightfully mine. This meant that I would no longer be able to use my victim story as an excuse, but more importantly I was given a mission to fulfill and falling short on that mission was not acceptable. In that moment I fully understood what I was here to do. I am here to help others let go of their stories and to help them start living their life as it was intended to be lived, and it is through my experiences that I will be able to do so.

These are the lessons that my father taught me. To love unconditionally. To show compassion. To be strong, but to also know when to be tender. And, most importantly, to love myself. Thank you, dad. I love you.