The Wired Word for 10132024 - CourtneyR.dev's 2nd Brain

The Wired Word for 10/13/2024 ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article0.00998d930354.png) ## Metadata - Author: [[The Wired Word]] - Full Title: The Wired Word for 10/13/2024 - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - #writing - #selfreflection - #legacy Author: Kelly McMasters Source: The Wired Word Reference: [Page numbers/Link] date created: 2024-10-13 09:45 --- # Title: Writing One's Own Obituary: A Reflective Exercise on Legacy ## Table of Contents: - [📝 Summary](#summary) - [📖 Main Content](#main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#notes) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#deib-assessment) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#hypotheses) - [📖 References](#references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#action-items) - [❓ Questions](#questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#future-research) - [💡 Implications](#implications) - [🎯 Conclusion](#conclusion) --- ## 📝 Summary: The article, centered on the reflection of mortality through the practice of writing one’s own obituary, discusses how contemplating our inevitable death can help bring focus to our lives. Kelly McMasters shares her journey of writing her obituary annually, reflecting on the past year, and adjusting her life accordingly. The process brings clarity, purpose, and a deeper understanding of values and aspirations, as well as how she wants to be remembered. --- ## 📖 Main Content: ### 🗒️ Notes - **Purpose of Obituary Writing**: - A tool for self-reflection, helping align behavior with values. - Writing one’s obituary can be a life-affirming exercise rather than a morbid one. - **McMasters' Experience**: - Began writing her own obituary at 12 years old due to her exposure to death through her mother’s work in hospice. - The annual exercise provides insight into what is meaningful in her life. - **Reflection and Change**: - Writing about oneself forces clarity on what matters and provides motivation to realign with core values and goals. - Some years are harder to write than others, especially after personal or communal trauma. - **Shifts in Perspective**: - Over time, priorities and what is considered important shift, revealing personal growth and a change in what we deem significant. - **Practical Advice**: - Consultant Jennie Shulkin suggests writing your own obituary as a tool for reflection, to identify the most significant aspects of life, and what legacy you want to leave behind. --- ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: 1. **Visual Learners (Spatial)**: - **Present**: No visual aids or diagrams. - **Improve**: Include timelines or infographics depicting how values shift over time. 2. **Aural Learners (Auditory-Musical)**: - **Present**: No auditory engagement available. - **Improve**: Add audio reflections or interviews with others who practice obituary writing. 3. **Verbal Learners (Linguistic)**: - **Present**: Rich narrative and personal reflection. - **Improve**: Add personal storytelling from others, increasing relatability. 4. **Physical Learners (Kinesthetic)**: - **Present**: Lacks interactive components. - **Improve**: Create exercises where readers draft their obituary. 5. **Logical Learners (Mathematical)**: - **Present**: Clear, logical progression of ideas. - **Improve**: Add frameworks or structured reflection prompts. 6. **Social Learners (Interpersonal)**: - **Present**: No direct social interaction. - **Improve**: Include group discussion prompts or peer reviews of obituary drafts. 7. **Solitary Learners (Intrapersonal)**: - **Present**: Excellent for introspective readers. - **Improve**: Offer journaling prompts for deeper self-reflection. --- ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment: - **Screen Reader Compatibility**: The text is accessible, but could benefit from clearer section headings. - **Keyboard Navigation**: Content is fully accessible via keyboard navigation. - **Contrast and Readability**: The readability is strong, with good contrast and appropriate fonts. - **Text Resizing**: Content adjusts well to different text sizes. --- ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment: - **Cultural Relevance**: The article could include diverse perspectives on death and legacy from various cultures. - **Inclusive Language**: The language is gender-neutral and non-exclusionary. - **Neurodiversity Support**: The structure is clear but could be broken into smaller sections for those with attention-related challenges. - **Representation**: Broader representation of life experiences across different backgrounds would improve inclusivity. - **Psychological Safety**: There are no trigger warnings, but the subject of death can be sensitive for some readers. --- ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - **Hypothesis 1**: Writing one’s own obituary annually leads to increased life satisfaction and personal alignment with core values. - **Hypothesis 2**: Reflecting on mortality can enhance clarity and focus on long-term goals. --- ## 📖 References: - Kelly McMasters, "Writing One’s Own Obituary: A Reflective Exercise," The Wired Word, October 13, 2024. --- ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original**: "Writing one’s obituary can be uncomfortable. The goal is not to feel bad but to recover joy -- focus on living a life worth dying for." - **Paraphrase**: Drafting your own obituary may be unsettling, but the intent is to rediscover joy by creating a life that’s truly worth remembering. 2. **Original**: "Most years, ... writing my obituary brings a kind of comfort... In many ways, they are as good as dead, unreachable former selves." - **Paraphrase**: Writing her obituary each year brings McMasters peace, as it allows her to say goodbye to her past selves, who are now unchangeable and distant. --- ## 📰 Newsletter: 📝 **Write Your Legacy!** Have you ever considered writing your own obituary? Author Kelly McMasters shares how reflecting on her mortality annually has helped her align her life with her values. This powerful exercise forces clarity on what’s truly important, helping us make meaningful changes. Whether you're looking to re-center your life or simply reflect on how far you've come, try writing your obituary to see how your perspective shifts. Learn more about this exercise [here](#). --- ## ✅ Action Items: - **Reflect on Legacy**: Begin drafting your obituary as a way to reflect on your values and life’s trajectory. - **Encourage Journaling**: Incorporate this exercise into personal development workshops or life coaching. - **Community Engagement**: Start a discussion or workshop in your community about the value of legacy writing. --- ## ❓ Questions: - How would writing your own obituary shift your perspective on current priorities? - What legacy do you want to leave behind, and how can you realign to reflect that today? --- ## 🔮 Future Research: - Study the psychological impact of writing obituaries regularly on life satisfaction and personal growth. - Investigate how different cultures approach the idea of legacy and whether writing obituaries aligns with those values. --- ## 💡 Implications: Future research could help therapists and life coaches better understand how reflecting on mortality influences decision-making and life satisfaction, offering new tools for guiding personal growth. --- ## 🎯 Conclusion: Writing your obituary forces you to confront your mortality, leading to a deeper understanding of your life’s purpose. By regularly reviewing and rewriting it, you can ensure your actions align with your values and create a legacy worth remembering. - Document Tags: [[obituary]] - Summary: Our lesson uses a recent article by Kelly McMasters, author of The Leaving Season: A Memoir, about the value of writing one's own obituary. Dear Class Members, Our lesson uses a recent article by Kelly McMasters, author of [*The Leaving Season: A Memoir*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGNd2JaDtXBAZ2pthXcbm-2Bo3Oswk3HAM6pPF6SbziUCcWW-2FtrMvrpRm8vF04F2F-2BAA-3D-3DxcCD_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVcgHJusm8cbuKJbMwHOd37h5CDcnab-2Fg6YcmaUHlTz35boNIm17NFKdWTED4fP0B4lqb4KT5WfBfs8vcJVTmwj5n-2BD74G4HSwJoR7Xb5ZN62Pi7p565EWO6h5qhvIVYDXjHIICTfY8wDvGAxeoumTRBfcCI8yp7SWuV1ipnsIYsXmdGjYACFUtarNmfIEePQ-2FbpqcjvljiWcIM0HyKkYrH8-3D), about the value of writing one's own obituary. We'll explore how contemplating our mortality and the end of life can sharpen our focus on what really matters and prompt us to more closely realign our choices and behavior to the things we say we believe and value. ![](https://www.thewiredword.com/_img/tww_logo_email.jpg) **Writing One's Own Obituary: Depressing or Life-Affirming?*****The Wired Word*** **for the Week of October 13, 2024** At the age of 12, Kelly McMasters, the daughter of a hospice volunteer, began writing her own obituary, a practice she has continued most years. "As I grew to accept that every patient my mother met would soon die, some within hours of their meeting and others after months, I also came to understand that most people outside our house could not tolerate talking much about death, especially their own." But McMasters says that rather than finding the exercise of reflecting on her own mortality morbid, it provided her the opportunity to review the direction of her life and to evaluate how closely her behavior matched her core beliefs and values. The practice helped bring clarity about what was working for her and what she might want to change to bring her lifestyle in line with her priorities and aspirations. [One blogger](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPER0g5qgUJUh3BhkvvO034VbCOt8l2tM0Ivf7sPbTXTNboJ6DPP-2BeqpgbfW5ubPah-2Fv2Jw27Bl60AoEujrc2Gko-3DErpb_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZqD1FPNsFWicSbx-2FK2sEDm9rB2WPcFExL6fb43KHjcOIxyxuPwu2SnXMZHpOuTo6B7Nbyvxnw81iBosCwb8Ys2WM4YZIIIFxFMeRkpoLjVHenkxtv-2B6VYx6ELznOQDtinPYZ-2Fuvdl5jtWuhiMN21HADT5p8dt6-2BbY-2FGuwhFWQDT668aN494O-2FxC61VQpdK9MXSUvDJ93Cnr9w4KjePDzjM-3D) acknowledged, "Writing one's obituary can be uncomfortable. The goal is not to feel bad but to recover joy -- focus on living a life worth dying for." "Most years, ... writing my obituary brings a kind of comfort," McMasters mused. "When I flip through my old obituaries, I am flipping through past versions of myself. In many ways, they are as good as dead, unreachable former selves, and I find solace in being able to say hello." "There is a comfort in the accumulation, like the stacking of blocks -- daughter, wife, mother of one, mother of two," she explained. "And owning up to the unstacking, too, such as divorces, difficult moves, disruptions and the deaths of others in your life." Some years when she experienced overwhelming personal or communal trauma, McMasters said she couldn't put pen to paper for this writing project at all. Other years she wrote "an aspirational obituary" that was more imaginative than factual, about what she hoped her life and legacy might be when she comes to the end of her time on Earth. Consultant Jennie Shulkin says that writing your own obituary can become "a tool for self-reflection" on what aspects and events of your life you consider most important and worth remembering. Things that once seemed profoundly significant may become less so in the rearview mirror, while other things that had been given short shrift in earlier years may take on added meaning later in life. Contemplating your mortality, Shulkin adds, can increase your gratitude "for the more positive experiences you've had" and for the people who have brought joy to your life. Learning to accept the inevitability of one's demise, she says, can motivate us to live life more purposefully and to make the most of the time we have left. More on this story can be found at these links: [Why I Write My Own Obituary Every Year.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPpNcUibgYQwQotz9BSrEMOyPRHLMmW-2Bez-2FZQZoT2xzzzWhQAjvzfa78m3-2FSJFsbLIbhIbohJKx0aqzTyxHUWv-2Bkg4KS_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVec4tKziTE2lfwfZu4wJLz3tBTVR1gYYzeFZrNYMMYaLTMi73ZW-2BYHVvD-2Ft6dZy6Bz8a1ypLA02XdXzGnCRzPhESPFf9SMnF9ekoIg0nVJIFK8dVyVEpBtRq26NJbyIlJSBzuChmRwj7wwp7aT3oUTB-2F687ZPg7yD3ZUNfKiqSct6QBIAQfXcUa3DBFix9jyIeYzK2S1k6OiFCxzv5t6Mjg-3D) [*The New York Times*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPpNcUibgYQwQotz9BSrEMOyPRHLMmW-2Bez-2FZQZoT2xzzzWhQAjvzfa78m3-2FSJFsbLIbhIbohJKx0aqzTyxHUWv-2Bkz_6C_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVTGKLA8Hz-2BQK62RE8HyqRe9G2-2Fihp-2BNpES6W3bZ2TLAG36lSq7EZM3-2FyHpZN3Kix-2Fntq35FwbZs08tRNPeWnI2cQtRL4VTg5gs2B266q9Y1uuIsXRfhKSI6nGbM3m0VT-2F6u7Glm4vF0POdZt5xhyHTRo-2BfpPk5tHQmXgnyIwcpyTPdd0kbMQigtvS2AF7cb7s4pmbtLhP5x3U2hQ-2Bj13Q28-3D) [Why You Should Write Your Own Obituary: A Reflective Writing Exercise.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI-2B2IK0okqCkx6aGlM4-2F6S-2BlkxS3WIMeq3CjSTsLZ0tGVLJYd-2B4z3kN1XA1TyNvhDhct7y3WnjSDLe0nl3FRy2lA62KZPJ7YbOaOFTttOtEV0UMbbOEmOladD3FkSNEDhA-3D-3DckgZ_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVeicDoWaRKuv280Hze2mWzTu5wPVAsR-2BwnrLIGQKyl6StlLjety0CyJRkwLsCQn2UuCs-2FykpvpKAX5LuwxFFm50uP3uXvw3cnewooLUkr3Bgt0zq2QCQy-2F7-2FXrtVpecMyd5l2YrSKB3DWDjYhb9heMdrmlAmtWOQjkK-2BuW89F92bYBk0XtAXKTgMuVCQu85VRvQUtWrbeJeIIFBQ96veuMw-3D) [*Override*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI-2B2IK0okqCkx6aGlM4-2F6S-2BlkxS3WIMeq3CjSTsLZ0tGVLJYd-2B4z3kN1XA1TyNvhDhct7y3WnjSDLe0nl3FRy2lA62KZPJ7YbOaOFTttOtEV0UMbbOEmOladD3FkSNEDhA-3D-3D1PSq_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVRoPs4SYOdtH72IpjZ13peGDZK4e-2FKF38-2Ba-2Fp-2BAgG8R2yj1ZU0E-2BsRvFgiayn5kBPZazwKZAsnZsaF9ZPTEFfGoq1KdMkke7JzSITWJ9v30dC8ykB-2Bf-2Fdo6Jjp0uU9wu5da0bNC8dyG-2F18jntPczew0WrfM-2FhsDvKtRNvTmHfmoHNsHD72mkC9bOsSVxGyEyCZD-2F4kFjkSJIK-2BPkj3lWxX4-3D) [55 Examples for How to Write Your Own Obituary.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBAzyS7zU-2B0pBwqEL-2BpEIs5I-2BYstxsuRBxObGQYrqwjz-2Fby9d3uIe0qkY0qkJFHZ8TEtCElA584f5tiYE-2FjR4Wg-3D72xX_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVQBc4CYtuZ7wkhAhCYFuuRD3NXj8C70QQn0pcBH-2Feai9Qy28GH3nAIx7cdMm3eyN-2BCCh3ZhaU03I18f1biW83-2FZCTQvP-2Fuk2hf8y9JbZ4kpRYYwIjnx8klsQbOpbC0q3niJUkQpuA6M3z-2FMrVFjdM-2Bl-2F5KhBkBP2T03df4lRJk3ppMLJELFU5wivC8oeFwA9jxifeS6shz5ezeFxKlL3SXU-3D) [*Legacy*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBAzyS7zU-2B0pBwqEL-2BpEIs5I-2BYstxsuRBxObGQYrqwjz-2Fby9d3uIe0qkY0qkJFHZ8TEtCElA584f5tiYE-2FjR4Wg-3DAbSj_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZfEG3y-2FPaaZdJh7ic1A-2B9vOcJAqcBBoRFYBpE5JoHhqopTDOQ0PEDMDZ9-2BmjpneisGZ1DwNGHxp-2FdunHIB1AovZ2gOtaBqpWefLFzwqDlgun5C6NxU2S-2F0wMXjhySCwFjP3vh9ZzBoKlx5Gmh-2F5jTOBQe0begKkp951xI3taWUoZk8TeRNgaZEk52Bp-2FswGU-2B62erXJ1kyOHWMrw2wzpnI-3D) [Exercise: Writing Your Own Obituary -- A Reflection on Legacy and Purpose.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBYwOEyAW5Qeu635F1JyEsrZgJIsDIOVRIpXTRXafF3FhloaSMQF1Xq6qzq-2F9-2F3YVx17cZwV6pZ6esHgM0XLLlwhs7dDhCShrUPgDvIfvHmuaZ8j-2BOAurQNwTGwkZCLx5V0vvRmic6jBSaVipRVsROA-3Dqm6c_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVXTMC5E4-2BxWAGJZV9C3ZD3vZLn48U4DkdnAbYG8JfP4IrmA0UbsJX2clee0BMM5bxNoNiVdRY5BlGftYT5sQh66HspT1OLacYD6UQGVTkZZbQcPu1WxsIJT3ATRqtMssb42GCJiROg3A8c5eYPTHtImnpXsHexrmkYYcy7oe9qb1poFFRobN4PwYpwLNz0c-2BCqaR3hSnA5l4hKtJoGyZTU0-3D) [*Linkedin*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBYwOEyAW5Qeu635F1JyEsrZgJIsDIOVRIpXTRXafF3FhloaSMQF1Xq6qzq-2F9-2F3YVx17cZwV6pZ6esHgM0XLLlwhs7dDhCShrUPgDvIfvHmuaZ8j-2BOAurQNwTGwkZCLx5V0vvRmic6jBSaVipRVsROA-3DIQaD_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVWXya17fVPk-2BejDoKWwRDbm4Y5qDmLTko7M7iEvrsy4ML3iE8jDj-2B79YMy7bvbakNu3PsElP4xPEzK-2Fo0iN8kokVjaCrhUY8pV4J1cthCjM4pZ92zyen2VfHr4UYPps-2F8aic8A-2BuVI0-2FGF-2F5yiJqn4-2FF72mrreJuaf6g9zs-2BstdzTMhfp-2BWgjdg5iFrwLdoYwi1oNktwYJVNNs5jgHp1QeQ-3D) **Applying the News Story** TWW contributor Mary Sells wrote: "I'm not sure if the 'celebration of life trend' is uniquely current American only, yet it jibes with my thought that we are death-averse … even though we all experience it in our families, friends and ultimately for ourselves. I call it 'Ozzie and Harriet' syndrome, where everything is supposed to be pretty and happy or otherwise swept under the rug." The Bible doesn't shy away from telling us the truth about our mortality. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that "it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment." Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says, "For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die." Later in that chapter the Teacher says that humans and animals have the same fate: "All go to one place, all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again" (Ecclesiastes 3:20). In another chapter he writes, "the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Since that is the case, he urges his readers to remember their creator in the days of their youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1). "The living know that they will die," the Teacher writes (Ecclesiastes 9:5), and yet we have a tendency, especially in youth and perhaps more so in certain cultures, to imagine ourselves to be immortal. The exercise of writing one's own obituary is an effort to confront the truth of the brevity of life honestly, so as to better appreciate what a gift every breath is to us. **The Big Questions** 1. Why might people seek to avoid thinking about or discussing death? 2. What might be gained from a realistic acknowledgement of our own mortality? 3. How would you like people to remember you? What are the core values, most important achievements and contributions, unique personality traits you want to be remembered for? Who or what has helped make you who you are? How did you make the world a better place because of your presence in it? 4. How does our faith address our fear of death? 5. How does our faith speak to our hope of the resurrection? **Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope**Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: **Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, 8** *It is better to go to the house of mourning* *than to go to the house of feasting,* *for this is the end of everyone,* *and the living will lay it to heart.* *Sorrow is better than laughter,* *for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.* *The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,* *but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.* ... *Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; …* (For context, read [Ecclesiastes 7:1-8](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxwo1yRV2l8a4Gm-2FxomKEKNXzj8RcKdlJcMrjZwdmbyI8yo-2FzfZoQ7IBL4eRXi-2BC3sEWDL_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZ1Qgl-2FdxSX9dezOp3OpU5XL87Zn7EXLdn-2Bn2DqWewgDbpSJokruNFE55Y-2BBbFuac5FcjwJpVpq2KQnQW2ILmk0yNJORdw6G8waB3mSqVf9A3vwVpAsHbyhl1Iq6gwPCKItpcbGzFarSTb49sS8oFxze1mY0J72esKggoWEDhdAZ9YiI-2B2-2BQiWTw9rk23cyWJNdz8M2C5yqQpSMz-2Buc1CXw-3D).) The writer of these words had access to all manner of luxuries and pleasures, and yet he did not find lasting satisfaction in them. Instead, he came to understand that contemplating "the end of everyone" was a valuable activity that could enable people to live more wisely. > **Questions:** Do you agree that going to the house of mourning is better than going to the house of feasting? Why or why not? What benefits might one receive from attending a memorial service? **Psalm 23:4 (KJV)** *Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.* (For context, read [Psalm 23:1-6](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxC8ooL516v5ZAN-2B7QD5wSbEC66Ria1VDnsUHI1ZTZJGU-3DhnHC_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVb0kwWojKc1isNRTt2H6v5-2FwLtwvXwiQ1axWtkU36T6oCTxmFvIKKsDvd9p-2B2vPdVZDDlPki6B80tp33Gk7zE1E3wWjb-2BAbP3eKhE4gGQ2c73K4x7UUuTPjcXNcdUyPUcKqPbb1xdbf4qjKsAkGptG3MpWAHOen2uvR7uUcqwO4NfT9gGMt8LkHtozrRhV1PxnEHfOvdeBhlRVtXhZ-2B2evc-3D).) Whether or not we realize it, every one of us walks through the valley of the shadow of death from the moment we are born until we die. > **Questions:** Why do we fear shadows? What capacity (if any) do shadows have to harm us? What gives the psalmist courage in the presence of evil? How are you experiencing the presence of God in times when you are aware that you are walking in death's dark shadow? **1 Corinthians 15: 26, 54** *The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ... When this perishable body puts on imperishability and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:* *"Death has been swallowed up in victory."* (For context, read [1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 54](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxOdlwvpIcp6dpBWksJaxTxAC70iLXVL6yruXiq3qpXRYMxkyJmgwdw6znIfXzjCu-2FeZJkO0dBJhaidA5gxPEQIQ-3D-3Dsj26_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVfFT7L6O2oosMq9AMCOz1VU-2FjO25sBE-2Fw5CfXLi5GPd6NfKVWNIuDHmF1agOK8REPWyWxhhSFiJGLki0R5vXQp-2B3IRoBY-2FsgdYpQMgt5x-2F1jnenluyi73WiwEY2mZ3GynIF8NgedfkuTJInx2-2Blv9kBRGYNWW7ZmL3jojB8BgbI-2FinEL-2BGWbwPGWBtMsHLk24eSyniMOwVDnw7fWC2hZsWQ-3D).) Paul patiently explains in this chapter that the resurrection of Christ is essential to our faith, and that without it, our entire worldview collapses. Our own hope of resurrection is based on Christ's resurrection from the dead. The risen Christ conquers every enemy that rebels against God's gracious reign, finally obliterating death itself, so that he can turn over the kingdom to God the Father (vv. 24-25). As long as we still live in "perishable" bodies, the prospect of death can fill us with fear. But elsewhere in Scripture we are told that through Jesus' death, he destroys "the one who has the power of death, ... the devil, and free[s] those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death" ([Hebrews 2:14-15](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxfhOLPuUklFplPPD2VWbSPCeUCdndR2-2F-2B-2BpyPuWOmm8VNeKs6sriqvc5F-2BDwzYfaabmOU_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVfrQJA5mqiRBuoHoO2vx-2Be0yhEsjIh4PS8W9WE6pwa7NAKS2WsAYOfbPkU-2B47N8H5VhPTM5-2F1m1Gh-2BsjDeuAt8QSyhK6lT3sCJDxEoCA-2FckOwptJ1032r9lHkcmEbWVHB1Wyir4pTN4Rni9TmWec-2BoHiKhWX8PANqiyv2ozCntyeMtgXxgYyoppoSmu-2FHyD4m7HFdKKLx925rEqfPSfdQmQ-3D)). > **Question:** To which teachings of our faith would you point to help relieve someone of their fear of death? **Revelation 21:1, 4-6** *Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. …* *"[God] will wipe every tear from their eyes.* *Death will be no more;* *mourning and crying and pain will be no more,* *for the first things have passed away."* *And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life."* (For context, read [Revelation 21:1-7](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxL76PkgLnT0ZbDRKTq4JIBC1jQUq-2B0Tf1vKum5vL9AITcT7tPImJ-2FX3x7cKbVAJmPT-fa_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVcaezz98fOUpcCVikSalbZkgo6Oot47eL5pvgw1GydAvbtyk4JiaMlHEIQ6cDHkD9BvyIkKFthQ0dnUPJMmzbrOK5rQ4DimLNNnGmDkj0ud3sQ57s0-2FS0tiPzrz-2FBt0SmFPWsCa0Rz3ajx83MRQBrfK238U66tYwEwHirhNzPAbWRwyGGCszMV1RqCyXc00len1okAhNiCvC6J0BBs-2BYlf8-3D).) The writer speaks here of endings and beginnings: the passing away of death, mourning, crying, pain and first things, including the first heaven and the first earth and the sea, and the creation of all new things, a new heaven and a new earth. This passage hearkens back to Revelation 1:8 and 17-18, where the Lord God also identifies himself as the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, ... the First and the Last, the Living One who was dead and who is alive forever and ever, who has the keys of Death and of Hades. Since Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, the phrase, "I am the Alpha and the Omega" would be similar to saying "I am the A and the Z" in English. Artist and author Jenny Bardoville wrote: "The seed is in the fruit and the fruit is in the seed. Scripture talks of the alpha and omega as a simultaneous being/character." We sometimes use the euphemism of people "passing away" to mean that they have died. What a joy to learn that God promises that death itself will "pass away" or die! > **Questions:** What do you think it means that God is the first and the last letter of the alphabet? How can one person be both at the same time? In what sense might that also mean that God's being is inclusive of all the letters between Alpha and Omega as well? > To take the metaphor further, might we also say that God is (and has) the first word and the last word? What does that mean? And how does that connect with the idea that God is All in all (things)? > How does God as the Alpha and the Omega apply to creation as a whole? To your own life in particular? To human life and death? **For Further Discussion** 1. Discuss this, from Atul Gawande, *Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End*: "In the end, people don't view their life as merely the average of all its moments -- which, after all, is mostly nothing much plus some sleep. For human beings, life is meaningful because it is a story. A story has a sense of a whole, and its arc is determined by the significant moments, the ones where something happens. Measurements of people's minute-by-minute levels of pleasure and pain miss this fundamental aspect of human existence. A seemingly happy life may be empty. A seemingly difficult life may be devoted to a great cause. We have purposes larger than ourselves." 2. Check out one or more of these obituaries written by people about themselves before they died: [Philip Dayton Thorpe/1934-2018.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPFIdu92my5YOYR-2F4svp9ej4PxOGy5zHDow49yxoa6xk8LcNu_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVWxTA1bxLtnO2gv1wmSYoTeOhXFTtQm2hCVS9vtXFkX8Gh3bT7rvNGgC4YGDsho2TwqJV0Jx8UOisHBnxTUQPkITjxRbh3LOHrwFX7dG5OnZtGaEydp9xK5v6cvJjGQdqlNY-2Be-2FT4-2FIluewkSfUkWsbZYyH9NZGS4YSBXGNiCdGshW57H2RDzMVQ9QKm77p3rk-2F1ATwW7qiqUMG9hqMJTUU-3D) [*The Salt Lake Tribune*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPFIdu92my5YOYR-2F4svp9ej4PxOGy5zHDow49yxoa6xk8jiD9_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVdqZ-2BFjKOvtJjVNi594UwQF0Owa6-2FRhn-2BZOXAK90gmlCGb0qWRrrGn7CQBGfhWK2GZedNgajIELSV4KHjh0v69z0WrVM5qjW2mhNmpMymsIPmEBjIbCZGbhwhh-2B5VYfZlW6IHKVfBCxJqospgRIiW80VCjUCEzOsHf-2FcP2jZzOViuQWEpE6VnHi8X4VxWNjFE7Z2ccATo4lpo3kAIUDo-2FlU-3D) [Kevin J. McGroarty.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGkZudVSlNnRvzD9wogSb8o-2FSR2WtZOj8MkeuBfPpoU7FjS1_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZT3Sz3rSl7KnlIA9nwfX79ZsxnEcoWMxivrsERx64OUNW8dEKuFOMGV97ouS8djY92bfu-2F7nb9HV02S2sCc4gBYKyfaUD47N4fhK6KJQ27la5OuMjMfKsUZa9M2pP8Flm-2FT0bqtd63VgdLdic06-2BVsvjuV5Xf8nPhdIg4rVGcMza07bO-2FNIIJV-2FLSqNO6OUlDcvtW0N4f1IJgUEI9C2HIo-3D) [*The Citizens' Voice*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGkZudVSlNnRvzD9wogSb8o-2FSR2WtZOj8MkeuBfPpoU7X6kE_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVVYFhVHeEhGYdw7RmPII524ad2wensD61dSxsxmK55n2M3tkw7BA6o6HeQugyKy2DGaM8LoBz7Gl54aAJeRxEQOfgR2cGzhdjmyZSiq-2FlTlzjs4LwzFqssSjq-2BOFgBDm8eOui8x3Mg6UBJqelF5gQ7CnDtmaY1ozxwhXrUMqYtGtyZT7o-2FVRt1XA-2F4QmYp6r7ed-2BnHjXOui1ALGeYP8o1sY-3D) [Barbara Mingrone.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPLpuSOAXsZkdqqIq6wVkgZhGe3FuHMdDlRTNQNJPGYrVZ7h3_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVRYfrpyNGHC8PwkKQPqWI5sJ5baQ7OdMnXyXsh8tg4pUBFjxkU6sdUTTcBO73JTifoXL4N-2FmNMI4ryRZqig8X-2B7HtmSwhfRFVrVCF2LavI-2F-2FuE6vwrv4yVSIoKKynj6MBeBM2avpx3-2FVSjQ6Q2Z15B7tcQ9xZTARtqjqtjn8aDrSh-2FvuY03Txa1SKUkpnlS7FaNhz-2FSYVQGJKrmhPYGOFlg-3D) [*Los Angeles Times*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPLpuSOAXsZkdqqIq6wVkgZhGe3FuHMdDlRTNQNJPGYrVQzgo_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVWUyJt3W5HFLfxQ5-2FJeem2dkhOSqtt7-2FneCMctmnd9HINV4qOmgOMn345rVJiLYAvxeba3yCBOic-2B2Y5ETe0Vwe3S5R-2BLEBKYwCUmedFhclQ81QVtLVZbAq4aYGQxeSVIxXFh1ApPW2CH7JV54vKefqvaSl-2FOcx-2FYEyNk-2B-2BZ-2BccT4Xc9ZmkCPt0idRxmqAfgh-2F8DsSExfjVl-2BhB83sd4y4I-3D) What are your first impressions upon reading what they wrote about themselves? 3. The ["Hymn of Promise"](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPOdVqUuXRQgomPg8rA7XE5hB03ICFDmCm7Uqcjv4pNL1g9NmG-2BG0qYOhjxltLycpNgv18cu7yTAyRr5LCoDfrtsNimxMmBYIX-2B9gswdBG4mntgf8WWfkFooJxQdp3rhRXQ-3D-3Dnord_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVeC21f0hMRlDNtRsIYe-2F4qARKe3a-2FBHFzjuoziOZljUKpPlLTJK8L-2BwgwFNaw-2BL3Wpl-2BsqGaCUtLvMNIvKCwY8Vhis8lLMs7gAB5gXQge3aXCZIC7E633M0plg9ZFbv-2BZlrpNBS9hYNAgQmsWMJTMvnVj3q6qrTO6RHPPb0aaEzWCHXM-2FjvADXyvtmqhQ7um8L2oQWO147WbMY-2Bg0T1H4LE-3D) (aka "In the Bulb There Is a Flower") by Natalie Sleeth (See Responding to the News #2 below) was inspired by lines in T.S. Eliot's poetry, such as "In my beginning is my end" and "In my end is my beginning" in [*Four Quartets and Exile*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPFrZS-2FMk0Ki32YbNNptrJk9fziaD1smmQrKe1-2BgY6oRHGOtfJypZ8iVb78JCJX5vDzeQBTpkKoS8ofCF-2FqSkIUr4wvBpYDCbTMcr9nWBsPWz4c7Fa6sOujo-2F55Py0mKMFQ-3D-3DhGC2_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVQgAlLMC2OjzzD5xfOR8AedMYgzBzkfmBiwql7jI5dV5kTPQTl5iI0in-2B-2FyjWKxnFIy4aocs-2BEC6k8pA9OOv3BNCVm5NLVyTZs-2FDe4cVFOfTOA51mfR2X4vORBAvmallQvgxXXDgOkp7NUNRF2Mq-2FQCgrMU9c7Sb3RzKPFysrkYOEye-2BTfdnTsNLGW3FUG2sRSWE-2BK2syZnmV2dNq9XP5aU-3D). "What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make beginning. The end is where we start from," wrote the bard. Writer Donald Larter explained: "As we humans live our lives, we experience many beginnings and many endings. The only ones we can't repeat are the first and the last, since to be born is also to die (some sooner than later). What Eliot is saying, I believe, is simply this: Every ending is -- or at least it can be -- a beginning." Learning to drive serves as an apt metaphor for this reality, Larter says. At first, a person acquires a learner's permit, practices driving with an experienced driver in the vehicle, and then takes vision, written, and road tests. When the student passes the tests, the period of formal learning comes to an end, and a new experience of driving without close supervision begins. "You could say the beginning of learning to drive began with the end in mind; namely, independence," Larter concludes. "To have a goal in mind at the beginning of any venture is to begin with the end in mind." Winston Churchill applied Eliot's ideas to the defeat of Rommel's Afrika Corps in Egypt, in a speech in November 1942 when he said, "It is not the end; it is not the beginning of the end. It is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Discuss how God transforms endings and dying into beginnings and living. 4. Reflect on this, from [*This Is Me Letting You Go*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI4eniLFLaCr9l1uFLSyhHshbb4w9iwsOiSB-2BYbHyJm-2BLr3u_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVYDdPRreGbUu6ko8RQyyRM3NP44mnNc4WzTQ-2FxHFPHGNLXSbl2w5NkZu55bOLv0rfHm1Ri9bDUh4TQTmnciOTdwY7CJxN2ogck5hsBnSXi6-2FbpVb-2B2NsKt7-2F1-2Ffoqzqv1UeRvXuIseGA7XGCZ2E0J57F2c-2BV4MUzU5BnWEZxyIg-2F07tHrx4xazIOBcKCFVLZHIuRlB1g3cTWzASOltMauTE-3D), by Heidi Priebe: "To love someone long-term is to attend a thousand funerals of the people they used to be. The people they're too exhausted to be any longer. The people they grew out of, the people they never ended up growing into. We so badly want the people we love to get their spark back when it burns out, to become speedily found when they are lost. "But it is not our job to hold anyone accountable to the people they used to be. It is our job to travel with them between each version and to honor what emerges along the way. Sometimes it will be an even more luminescent flame. Sometimes it will be a flicker that temporarily floods the room with a perfect and necessary darkness." **Responding to the News** 1. Try your hand at writing your own obituary. You can find some prompts to get you started in the links above. If you wish, share what you've written with the group, in person or in a group email or online session. What did you learn about yourself and each other through this exercise? 2. Share the hymn, [In the Bulb There is a Flower (Video 3:10)](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPHHO527dt29LPBX36dBL43xkuZv8qNFAaMHECXm8vIwofMRP_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVbOnXmxD6qegNjFzMADic46oFwS00lMWtoYfjugDHPrEjKqIE-2FMqIxY8Wi8Fat7enq-2FcGSdbMj5ZfjPCVUsTZ2dcN-2FhXFju5dNs4QZHa0UGCRABed1YVUoHi0pxv4m-2FoQ8JEGSE9H2OYb4-2BCu6pH-2F9ON-2FPNYZ2LOllRtMqmapJ-2BiEk3Rk5mdsvh5Vp5P-2BmnyDSlEIpXSO97-2FKIylQZaR4XY-3D) as a statement of your faith that God has provided the seed of new beginnings within every ending, of new life on the other side of death. **Prayer** suggested by [Romans 14:7-9](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxB1sByFkCq00De7qxK5Zsvg7yWiDdQyQY53QLeao1FM3iL9zcXNfB9dR3l7TktSl3EsXn_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVSLZHxTteO9Ef2nWfFoqoXcuKDigsnDS-2BqMyrMi0KPALqEBAL1DqrT95oICT-2FX8Sbearh1LjBrUgCHP1fY7BtwTRg6Ou7hkclWnbADXPZtbMAQjI0SC6c5VZWuwFkt3XzixDFIChXZArJbwBhyFeyVYnSlIFwC-2FGrOF9DYhBvJIyovsw2Zk4kCAaOMHUk6L-2F9WS89X-2FCjUTSOabysDb0WB0-3D); [Philippians 1:15-30](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxzNGX396sVFOaUcnbldjl-2BHwzJcZlo2iAA2O3Zjj3oy-2F15-2FBxUXFGynCt5pUnliqZdf34_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVU0PHexj4jxlVaI3Pz4oiNAiykugEJqJrpKXu-2FabrpgHDSBYfwdd0AWpn1l0CC3wPrewW-2Fzh1hiGuT7U6PXvZ8Pr5D6-2FHBq05y6iHmEpzZCVj4r15NWbmJ-2BtXwHOIgJ8KiLW1c4LunxU7tOG-2BCePYhk0PD42KGBIOZ7kGnNVH9dxqTy1rGqHfTCmIoast-2BllCuIg3nRt9U69rdJcj-2BwTymk-3D) Immortal God, we marvel that you condescend to care for mere mortals, and even make a way for us to partake of life eternal through the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ! Now we do not live or die for ourselves, but whether we live or die, we belong to you. In all our words and deeds, may Christ be exalted now as always in our bodies, whether by life or by death, for to us, living is Christ and dying is gain. Amen. **Copyright 2024 Communication Resources** [Unsubscribe From This List](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/asm/unsubscribe/?user_id=14323725&data=Ijxbt1o_N-G3OlueKTljmval7PR5jVKlsN2fGsO4m-NoMDAwdTAwMNofEGzxQuz_gyOcElLCpA0utw09JwHU4rXgw8Q8qOlclFrTeu492exGw3CnzAcVlcUhkP_RvulDCgcFIQME7hYwceAUTM0yrU57YydY-qUDMZjjw8LiMeezfH-oO20Uu6dWsF_CbzNGtvOTAVmflHfCgKPNVbCodKPhaTJbqwnlwwBT5KSV14fPnp_oNThJIoDpeMr7HkV5w-VcCYpuIC3ol7zSMxvs6nlePaIQvOSWQXO-apXoHY9YYpEiwTSdq33GYrNGllJjt0bAY7pvM71s6kSAly9fllzy2iCrxWwCCFQhKCD7NydQ35mf3q1xWjuNJCXJFJahy5I2qHDznaaRH5j6ikGn812ueeJ_TmB0V3MKohpoOTRJ5fka7eZDGVunvpZsu8pJcd_X_fbJGpv8HzbBGA1Juvzjbx-A_mzu_RPBYYy8je6Hxe1PIs_RmUnIggKoilYuPezn5xcdqbPuVLs003NthzCJibEiSPFNkmrhcmhrBZsS5qnNlIPl0S0xhXCO-UT2mwL9kyGdWa_5IUsFqgPlSI4oNqbKf6XHaT74OdSBDhdl3KLzPuTvVWY0AmqfTlvA8Ofsz39lqMI=) <div>Dear Class Members, Our lesson uses a recent article by Kelly McMasters, author of <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGNd2JaDtXBAZ2pthXcbm-2Bo3Oswk3HAM6pPF6SbziUCcWW-2FtrMvrpRm8vF04F2F-2BAA-3D-3DxcCD\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVcgHJusm8cbuKJbMwHOd37h5CDcnab-2Fg6YcmaUHlTz35boNIm17NFKdWTED4fP0B4lqb4KT5WfBfs8vcJVTmwj5n-2BD74G4HSwJoR7Xb5ZN62Pi7p565EWO6h5qhvIVYDXjHIICTfY8wDvGAxeoumTRBfcCI8yp7SWuV1ipnsIYsXmdGjYACFUtarNmfIEePQ-2FbpqcjvljiWcIM0HyKkYrH8-3D">The Leaving Season: A Memoir</a>, about the value of writing one's own obituary. We'll explore how contemplating our mortality and the end of life can sharpen our focus on what really matters and prompt us to more closely realign our choices and behavior to the things we say we believe and value. <img alt="" src="https://www.thewiredword.com/\_img/tww\_logo\_email.jpg"/> Writing One's Own Obituary: Depressing or Life-Affirming? The Wired Word for the Week of October 13, 2024 At the age of 12, Kelly McMasters, the daughter of a hospice volunteer, began writing her own obituary, a practice she has continued most years. "As I grew to accept that every patient my mother met would soon die, some within hours of their meeting and others after months, I also came to understand that most people outside our house could not tolerate talking much about death, especially their own." But McMasters says that rather than finding the exercise of reflecting on her own mortality morbid, it provided her the opportunity to review the direction of her life and to evaluate how closely her behavior matched her core beliefs and values. The practice helped bring clarity about what was working for her and what she might want to change to bring her lifestyle in line with her priorities and aspirations. <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPER0g5qgUJUh3BhkvvO034VbCOt8l2tM0Ivf7sPbTXTNboJ6DPP-2BeqpgbfW5ubPah-2Fv2Jw27Bl60AoEujrc2Gko-3DErpb\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZqD1FPNsFWicSbx-2FK2sEDm9rB2WPcFExL6fb43KHjcOIxyxuPwu2SnXMZHpOuTo6B7Nbyvxnw81iBosCwb8Ys2WM4YZIIIFxFMeRkpoLjVHenkxtv-2B6VYx6ELznOQDtinPYZ-2Fuvdl5jtWuhiMN21HADT5p8dt6-2BbY-2FGuwhFWQDT668aN494O-2FxC61VQpdK9MXSUvDJ93Cnr9w4KjePDzjM-3D">One blogger</a> acknowledged, "Writing one's obituary can be uncomfortable. The goal is not to feel bad but to recover joy -- focus on living a life worth dying for." "Most years, ... writing my obituary brings a kind of comfort," McMasters mused. "When I flip through my old obituaries, I am flipping through past versions of myself. In many ways, they are as good as dead, unreachable former selves, and I find solace in being able to say hello." "There is a comfort in the accumulation, like the stacking of blocks -- daughter, wife, mother of one, mother of two," she explained. "And owning up to the unstacking, too, such as divorces, difficult moves, disruptions and the deaths of others in your life." Some years when she experienced overwhelming personal or communal trauma, McMasters said she couldn't put pen to paper for this writing project at all. Other years she wrote "an aspirational obituary" that was more imaginative than factual, about what she hoped her life and legacy might be when she comes to the end of her time on Earth. Consultant Jennie Shulkin says that writing your own obituary can become "a tool for self-reflection" on what aspects and events of your life you consider most important and worth remembering. Things that once seemed profoundly significant may become less so in the rearview mirror, while other things that had been given short shrift in earlier years may take on added meaning later in life. Contemplating your mortality, Shulkin adds, can increase your gratitude "for the more positive experiences you've had" and for the people who have brought joy to your life. Learning to accept the inevitability of one's demise, she says, can motivate us to live life more purposefully and to make the most of the time we have left. More on this story can be found at these links: <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPpNcUibgYQwQotz9BSrEMOyPRHLMmW-2Bez-2FZQZoT2xzzzWhQAjvzfa78m3-2FSJFsbLIbhIbohJKx0aqzTyxHUWv-2Bkg4KS\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVec4tKziTE2lfwfZu4wJLz3tBTVR1gYYzeFZrNYMMYaLTMi73ZW-2BYHVvD-2Ft6dZy6Bz8a1ypLA02XdXzGnCRzPhESPFf9SMnF9ekoIg0nVJIFK8dVyVEpBtRq26NJbyIlJSBzuChmRwj7wwp7aT3oUTB-2F687ZPg7yD3ZUNfKiqSct6QBIAQfXcUa3DBFix9jyIeYzK2S1k6OiFCxzv5t6Mjg-3D">Why I Write My Own Obituary Every Year. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPpNcUibgYQwQotz9BSrEMOyPRHLMmW-2Bez-2FZQZoT2xzzzWhQAjvzfa78m3-2FSJFsbLIbhIbohJKx0aqzTyxHUWv-2Bkz\_6C\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVTGKLA8Hz-2BQK62RE8HyqRe9G2-2Fihp-2BNpES6W3bZ2TLAG36lSq7EZM3-2FyHpZN3Kix-2Fntq35FwbZs08tRNPeWnI2cQtRL4VTg5gs2B266q9Y1uuIsXRfhKSI6nGbM3m0VT-2F6u7Glm4vF0POdZt5xhyHTRo-2BfpPk5tHQmXgnyIwcpyTPdd0kbMQigtvS2AF7cb7s4pmbtLhP5x3U2hQ-2Bj13Q28-3D">The New York Times</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI-2B2IK0okqCkx6aGlM4-2F6S-2BlkxS3WIMeq3CjSTsLZ0tGVLJYd-2B4z3kN1XA1TyNvhDhct7y3WnjSDLe0nl3FRy2lA62KZPJ7YbOaOFTttOtEV0UMbbOEmOladD3FkSNEDhA-3D-3DckgZ\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVeicDoWaRKuv280Hze2mWzTu5wPVAsR-2BwnrLIGQKyl6StlLjety0CyJRkwLsCQn2UuCs-2FykpvpKAX5LuwxFFm50uP3uXvw3cnewooLUkr3Bgt0zq2QCQy-2F7-2FXrtVpecMyd5l2YrSKB3DWDjYhb9heMdrmlAmtWOQjkK-2BuW89F92bYBk0XtAXKTgMuVCQu85VRvQUtWrbeJeIIFBQ96veuMw-3D">Why You Should Write Your Own Obituary: A Reflective Writing Exercise. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI-2B2IK0okqCkx6aGlM4-2F6S-2BlkxS3WIMeq3CjSTsLZ0tGVLJYd-2B4z3kN1XA1TyNvhDhct7y3WnjSDLe0nl3FRy2lA62KZPJ7YbOaOFTttOtEV0UMbbOEmOladD3FkSNEDhA-3D-3D1PSq\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVRoPs4SYOdtH72IpjZ13peGDZK4e-2FKF38-2Ba-2Fp-2BAgG8R2yj1ZU0E-2BsRvFgiayn5kBPZazwKZAsnZsaF9ZPTEFfGoq1KdMkke7JzSITWJ9v30dC8ykB-2Bf-2Fdo6Jjp0uU9wu5da0bNC8dyG-2F18jntPczew0WrfM-2FhsDvKtRNvTmHfmoHNsHD72mkC9bOsSVxGyEyCZD-2F4kFjkSJIK-2BPkj3lWxX4-3D">Override</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBAzyS7zU-2B0pBwqEL-2BpEIs5I-2BYstxsuRBxObGQYrqwjz-2Fby9d3uIe0qkY0qkJFHZ8TEtCElA584f5tiYE-2FjR4Wg-3D72xX\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVQBc4CYtuZ7wkhAhCYFuuRD3NXj8C70QQn0pcBH-2Feai9Qy28GH3nAIx7cdMm3eyN-2BCCh3ZhaU03I18f1biW83-2FZCTQvP-2Fuk2hf8y9JbZ4kpRYYwIjnx8klsQbOpbC0q3niJUkQpuA6M3z-2FMrVFjdM-2Bl-2F5KhBkBP2T03df4lRJk3ppMLJELFU5wivC8oeFwA9jxifeS6shz5ezeFxKlL3SXU-3D">55 Examples for How to Write Your Own Obituary. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBAzyS7zU-2B0pBwqEL-2BpEIs5I-2BYstxsuRBxObGQYrqwjz-2Fby9d3uIe0qkY0qkJFHZ8TEtCElA584f5tiYE-2FjR4Wg-3DAbSj\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZfEG3y-2FPaaZdJh7ic1A-2B9vOcJAqcBBoRFYBpE5JoHhqopTDOQ0PEDMDZ9-2BmjpneisGZ1DwNGHxp-2FdunHIB1AovZ2gOtaBqpWefLFzwqDlgun5C6NxU2S-2F0wMXjhySCwFjP3vh9ZzBoKlx5Gmh-2F5jTOBQe0begKkp951xI3taWUoZk8TeRNgaZEk52Bp-2FswGU-2B62erXJ1kyOHWMrw2wzpnI-3D">Legacy</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBYwOEyAW5Qeu635F1JyEsrZgJIsDIOVRIpXTRXafF3FhloaSMQF1Xq6qzq-2F9-2F3YVx17cZwV6pZ6esHgM0XLLlwhs7dDhCShrUPgDvIfvHmuaZ8j-2BOAurQNwTGwkZCLx5V0vvRmic6jBSaVipRVsROA-3Dqm6c\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVXTMC5E4-2BxWAGJZV9C3ZD3vZLn48U4DkdnAbYG8JfP4IrmA0UbsJX2clee0BMM5bxNoNiVdRY5BlGftYT5sQh66HspT1OLacYD6UQGVTkZZbQcPu1WxsIJT3ATRqtMssb42GCJiROg3A8c5eYPTHtImnpXsHexrmkYYcy7oe9qb1poFFRobN4PwYpwLNz0c-2BCqaR3hSnA5l4hKtJoGyZTU0-3D">Exercise: Writing Your Own Obituary -- A Reflection on Legacy and Purpose. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPBYwOEyAW5Qeu635F1JyEsrZgJIsDIOVRIpXTRXafF3FhloaSMQF1Xq6qzq-2F9-2F3YVx17cZwV6pZ6esHgM0XLLlwhs7dDhCShrUPgDvIfvHmuaZ8j-2BOAurQNwTGwkZCLx5V0vvRmic6jBSaVipRVsROA-3DIQaD\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVWXya17fVPk-2BejDoKWwRDbm4Y5qDmLTko7M7iEvrsy4ML3iE8jDj-2B79YMy7bvbakNu3PsElP4xPEzK-2Fo0iN8kokVjaCrhUY8pV4J1cthCjM4pZ92zyen2VfHr4UYPps-2F8aic8A-2BuVI0-2FGF-2F5yiJqn4-2FF72mrreJuaf6g9zs-2BstdzTMhfp-2BWgjdg5iFrwLdoYwi1oNktwYJVNNs5jgHp1QeQ-3D">Linkedin</a> Applying the News Story TWW contributor Mary Sells wrote: "I'm not sure if the 'celebration of life trend' is uniquely current American only, yet it jibes with my thought that we are death-averse … even though we all experience it in our families, friends and ultimately for ourselves. I call it 'Ozzie and Harriet' syndrome, where everything is supposed to be pretty and happy or otherwise swept under the rug." The Bible doesn't shy away from telling us the truth about our mortality. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that "it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment." Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says, "For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die." Later in that chapter the Teacher says that humans and animals have the same fate: "All go to one place, all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again" (Ecclesiastes 3:20). In another chapter he writes, "the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Since that is the case, he urges his readers to remember their creator in the days of their youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1). "The living know that they will die," the Teacher writes (Ecclesiastes 9:5), and yet we have a tendency, especially in youth and perhaps more so in certain cultures, to imagine ourselves to be immortal. The exercise of writing one's own obituary is an effort to confront the truth of the brevity of life honestly, so as to better appreciate what a gift every breath is to us. The Big Questions 1. Why might people seek to avoid thinking about or discussing death? 2. What might be gained from a realistic acknowledgement of our own mortality? 3. How would you like people to remember you? What are the core values, most important achievements and contributions, unique personality traits you want to be remembered for? Who or what has helped make you who you are? How did you make the world a better place because of your presence in it? 4. How does our faith address our fear of death? 5. How does our faith speak to our hope of the resurrection? Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, 8 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of everyone, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. ... Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; … (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxwo1yRV2l8a4Gm-2FxomKEKNXzj8RcKdlJcMrjZwdmbyI8yo-2FzfZoQ7IBL4eRXi-2BC3sEWDL\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZ1Qgl-2FdxSX9dezOp3OpU5XL87Zn7EXLdn-2Bn2DqWewgDbpSJokruNFE55Y-2BBbFuac5FcjwJpVpq2KQnQW2ILmk0yNJORdw6G8waB3mSqVf9A3vwVpAsHbyhl1Iq6gwPCKItpcbGzFarSTb49sS8oFxze1mY0J72esKggoWEDhdAZ9YiI-2B2-2BQiWTw9rk23cyWJNdz8M2C5yqQpSMz-2Buc1CXw-3D">Ecclesiastes 7:1-8</a>.) The writer of these words had access to all manner of luxuries and pleasures, and yet he did not find lasting satisfaction in them. Instead, he came to understand that contemplating "the end of everyone" was a valuable activity that could enable people to live more wisely. <blockquote> Questions: Do you agree that going to the house of mourning is better than going to the house of feasting? Why or why not? What benefits might one receive from attending a memorial service? </blockquote> Psalm 23:4 (KJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxC8ooL516v5ZAN-2B7QD5wSbEC66Ria1VDnsUHI1ZTZJGU-3DhnHC\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVb0kwWojKc1isNRTt2H6v5-2FwLtwvXwiQ1axWtkU36T6oCTxmFvIKKsDvd9p-2B2vPdVZDDlPki6B80tp33Gk7zE1E3wWjb-2BAbP3eKhE4gGQ2c73K4x7UUuTPjcXNcdUyPUcKqPbb1xdbf4qjKsAkGptG3MpWAHOen2uvR7uUcqwO4NfT9gGMt8LkHtozrRhV1PxnEHfOvdeBhlRVtXhZ-2B2evc-3D">Psalm 23:1-6</a>.) Whether or not we realize it, every one of us walks through the valley of the shadow of death from the moment we are born until we die. <blockquote> Questions: Why do we fear shadows? What capacity (if any) do shadows have to harm us? What gives the psalmist courage in the presence of evil? How are you experiencing the presence of God in times when you are aware that you are walking in death's dark shadow? </blockquote> 1 Corinthians 15: 26, 54 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ... When this perishable body puts on imperishability and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxOdlwvpIcp6dpBWksJaxTxAC70iLXVL6yruXiq3qpXRYMxkyJmgwdw6znIfXzjCu-2FeZJkO0dBJhaidA5gxPEQIQ-3D-3Dsj26\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVfFT7L6O2oosMq9AMCOz1VU-2FjO25sBE-2Fw5CfXLi5GPd6NfKVWNIuDHmF1agOK8REPWyWxhhSFiJGLki0R5vXQp-2B3IRoBY-2FsgdYpQMgt5x-2F1jnenluyi73WiwEY2mZ3GynIF8NgedfkuTJInx2-2Blv9kBRGYNWW7ZmL3jojB8BgbI-2FinEL-2BGWbwPGWBtMsHLk24eSyniMOwVDnw7fWC2hZsWQ-3D">1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 54</a>.) Paul patiently explains in this chapter that the resurrection of Christ is essential to our faith, and that without it, our entire worldview collapses. Our own hope of resurrection is based on Christ's resurrection from the dead. The risen Christ conquers every enemy that rebels against God's gracious reign, finally obliterating death itself, so that he can turn over the kingdom to God the Father (vv. 24-25). As long as we still live in "perishable" bodies, the prospect of death can fill us with fear. But elsewhere in Scripture we are told that through Jesus' death, he destroys "the one who has the power of death, ... the devil, and free[s] those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death" (<a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxfhOLPuUklFplPPD2VWbSPCeUCdndR2-2F-2B-2BpyPuWOmm8VNeKs6sriqvc5F-2BDwzYfaabmOU\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVfrQJA5mqiRBuoHoO2vx-2Be0yhEsjIh4PS8W9WE6pwa7NAKS2WsAYOfbPkU-2B47N8H5VhPTM5-2F1m1Gh-2BsjDeuAt8QSyhK6lT3sCJDxEoCA-2FckOwptJ1032r9lHkcmEbWVHB1Wyir4pTN4Rni9TmWec-2BoHiKhWX8PANqiyv2ozCntyeMtgXxgYyoppoSmu-2FHyD4m7HFdKKLx925rEqfPSfdQmQ-3D">Hebrews 2:14-15</a>). <blockquote> Question: To which teachings of our faith would you point to help relieve someone of their fear of death? </blockquote> Revelation 21:1, 4-6 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. … "[God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life." (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxL76PkgLnT0ZbDRKTq4JIBC1jQUq-2B0Tf1vKum5vL9AITcT7tPImJ-2FX3x7cKbVAJmPT-fa\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVcaezz98fOUpcCVikSalbZkgo6Oot47eL5pvgw1GydAvbtyk4JiaMlHEIQ6cDHkD9BvyIkKFthQ0dnUPJMmzbrOK5rQ4DimLNNnGmDkj0ud3sQ57s0-2FS0tiPzrz-2FBt0SmFPWsCa0Rz3ajx83MRQBrfK238U66tYwEwHirhNzPAbWRwyGGCszMV1RqCyXc00len1okAhNiCvC6J0BBs-2BYlf8-3D">Revelation 21:1-7</a>.) The writer speaks here of endings and beginnings: the passing away of death, mourning, crying, pain and first things, including the first heaven and the first earth and the sea, and the creation of all new things, a new heaven and a new earth. This passage hearkens back to Revelation 1:8 and 17-18, where the Lord God also identifies himself as the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, ... the First and the Last, the Living One who was dead and who is alive forever and ever, who has the keys of Death and of Hades. Since Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, the phrase, "I am the Alpha and the Omega" would be similar to saying "I am the A and the Z" in English. Artist and author Jenny Bardoville wrote: "The seed is in the fruit and the fruit is in the seed. Scripture talks of the alpha and omega as a simultaneous being/character." We sometimes use the euphemism of people "passing away" to mean that they have died. What a joy to learn that God promises that death itself will "pass away" or die! <blockquote> Questions: What do you think it means that God is the first and the last letter of the alphabet? How can one person be both at the same time? In what sense might that also mean that God's being is inclusive of all the letters between Alpha and Omega as well? To take the metaphor further, might we also say that God is (and has) the first word and the last word? What does that mean? And how does that connect with the idea that God is All in all (things)? How does God as the Alpha and the Omega apply to creation as a whole? To your own life in particular? To human life and death? </blockquote> For Further Discussion 1. Discuss this, from Atul Gawande, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End: "In the end, people don't view their life as merely the average of all its moments -- which, after all, is mostly nothing much plus some sleep. For human beings, life is meaningful because it is a story. A story has a sense of a whole, and its arc is determined by the significant moments, the ones where something happens. Measurements of people's minute-by-minute levels of pleasure and pain miss this fundamental aspect of human existence. A seemingly happy life may be empty. A seemingly difficult life may be devoted to a great cause. We have purposes larger than ourselves." 2. Check out one or more of these obituaries written by people about themselves before they died: <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPFIdu92my5YOYR-2F4svp9ej4PxOGy5zHDow49yxoa6xk8LcNu\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVWxTA1bxLtnO2gv1wmSYoTeOhXFTtQm2hCVS9vtXFkX8Gh3bT7rvNGgC4YGDsho2TwqJV0Jx8UOisHBnxTUQPkITjxRbh3LOHrwFX7dG5OnZtGaEydp9xK5v6cvJjGQdqlNY-2Be-2FT4-2FIluewkSfUkWsbZYyH9NZGS4YSBXGNiCdGshW57H2RDzMVQ9QKm77p3rk-2F1ATwW7qiqUMG9hqMJTUU-3D">Philip Dayton Thorpe/1934-2018. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPFIdu92my5YOYR-2F4svp9ej4PxOGy5zHDow49yxoa6xk8jiD9\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVdqZ-2BFjKOvtJjVNi594UwQF0Owa6-2FRhn-2BZOXAK90gmlCGb0qWRrrGn7CQBGfhWK2GZedNgajIELSV4KHjh0v69z0WrVM5qjW2mhNmpMymsIPmEBjIbCZGbhwhh-2B5VYfZlW6IHKVfBCxJqospgRIiW80VCjUCEzOsHf-2FcP2jZzOViuQWEpE6VnHi8X4VxWNjFE7Z2ccATo4lpo3kAIUDo-2FlU-3D">The Salt Lake Tribune</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGkZudVSlNnRvzD9wogSb8o-2FSR2WtZOj8MkeuBfPpoU7FjS1\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVZT3Sz3rSl7KnlIA9nwfX79ZsxnEcoWMxivrsERx64OUNW8dEKuFOMGV97ouS8djY92bfu-2F7nb9HV02S2sCc4gBYKyfaUD47N4fhK6KJQ27la5OuMjMfKsUZa9M2pP8Flm-2FT0bqtd63VgdLdic06-2BVsvjuV5Xf8nPhdIg4rVGcMza07bO-2FNIIJV-2FLSqNO6OUlDcvtW0N4f1IJgUEI9C2HIo-3D">Kevin J. McGroarty. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGkZudVSlNnRvzD9wogSb8o-2FSR2WtZOj8MkeuBfPpoU7X6kE\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVVYFhVHeEhGYdw7RmPII524ad2wensD61dSxsxmK55n2M3tkw7BA6o6HeQugyKy2DGaM8LoBz7Gl54aAJeRxEQOfgR2cGzhdjmyZSiq-2FlTlzjs4LwzFqssSjq-2BOFgBDm8eOui8x3Mg6UBJqelF5gQ7CnDtmaY1ozxwhXrUMqYtGtyZT7o-2FVRt1XA-2F4QmYp6r7ed-2BnHjXOui1ALGeYP8o1sY-3D">The Citizens' Voice</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPLpuSOAXsZkdqqIq6wVkgZhGe3FuHMdDlRTNQNJPGYrVZ7h3\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVRYfrpyNGHC8PwkKQPqWI5sJ5baQ7OdMnXyXsh8tg4pUBFjxkU6sdUTTcBO73JTifoXL4N-2FmNMI4ryRZqig8X-2B7HtmSwhfRFVrVCF2LavI-2F-2FuE6vwrv4yVSIoKKynj6MBeBM2avpx3-2FVSjQ6Q2Z15B7tcQ9xZTARtqjqtjn8aDrSh-2FvuY03Txa1SKUkpnlS7FaNhz-2FSYVQGJKrmhPYGOFlg-3D">Barbara Mingrone. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPLpuSOAXsZkdqqIq6wVkgZhGe3FuHMdDlRTNQNJPGYrVQzgo\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVWUyJt3W5HFLfxQ5-2FJeem2dkhOSqtt7-2FneCMctmnd9HINV4qOmgOMn345rVJiLYAvxeba3yCBOic-2B2Y5ETe0Vwe3S5R-2BLEBKYwCUmedFhclQ81QVtLVZbAq4aYGQxeSVIxXFh1ApPW2CH7JV54vKefqvaSl-2FOcx-2FYEyNk-2B-2BZ-2BccT4Xc9ZmkCPt0idRxmqAfgh-2F8DsSExfjVl-2BhB83sd4y4I-3D">Los Angeles Times</a> What are your first impressions upon reading what they wrote about themselves? 3. The <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPOdVqUuXRQgomPg8rA7XE5hB03ICFDmCm7Uqcjv4pNL1g9NmG-2BG0qYOhjxltLycpNgv18cu7yTAyRr5LCoDfrtsNimxMmBYIX-2B9gswdBG4mntgf8WWfkFooJxQdp3rhRXQ-3D-3Dnord\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVeC21f0hMRlDNtRsIYe-2F4qARKe3a-2FBHFzjuoziOZljUKpPlLTJK8L-2BwgwFNaw-2BL3Wpl-2BsqGaCUtLvMNIvKCwY8Vhis8lLMs7gAB5gXQge3aXCZIC7E633M0plg9ZFbv-2BZlrpNBS9hYNAgQmsWMJTMvnVj3q6qrTO6RHPPb0aaEzWCHXM-2FjvADXyvtmqhQ7um8L2oQWO147WbMY-2Bg0T1H4LE-3D">"Hymn of Promise"</a> (aka "In the Bulb There Is a Flower") by Natalie Sleeth (See Responding to the News #2 below) was inspired by lines in T.S. Eliot's poetry, such as "In my beginning is my end" and "In my end is my beginning" in <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPFrZS-2FMk0Ki32YbNNptrJk9fziaD1smmQrKe1-2BgY6oRHGOtfJypZ8iVb78JCJX5vDzeQBTpkKoS8ofCF-2FqSkIUr4wvBpYDCbTMcr9nWBsPWz4c7Fa6sOujo-2F55Py0mKMFQ-3D-3DhGC2\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVQgAlLMC2OjzzD5xfOR8AedMYgzBzkfmBiwql7jI5dV5kTPQTl5iI0in-2B-2FyjWKxnFIy4aocs-2BEC6k8pA9OOv3BNCVm5NLVyTZs-2FDe4cVFOfTOA51mfR2X4vORBAvmallQvgxXXDgOkp7NUNRF2Mq-2FQCgrMU9c7Sb3RzKPFysrkYOEye-2BTfdnTsNLGW3FUG2sRSWE-2BK2syZnmV2dNq9XP5aU-3D">Four Quartets and Exile</a>. "What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make beginning. The end is where we start from," wrote the bard. Writer Donald Larter explained: "As we humans live our lives, we experience many beginnings and many endings. The only ones we can't repeat are the first and the last, since to be born is also to die (some sooner than later). What Eliot is saying, I believe, is simply this: Every ending is -- or at least it can be -- a beginning." Learning to drive serves as an apt metaphor for this reality, Larter says. At first, a person acquires a learner's permit, practices driving with an experienced driver in the vehicle, and then takes vision, written, and road tests. When the student passes the tests, the period of formal learning comes to an end, and a new experience of driving without close supervision begins. "You could say the beginning of learning to drive began with the end in mind; namely, independence," Larter concludes. "To have a goal in mind at the beginning of any venture is to begin with the end in mind." Winston Churchill applied Eliot's ideas to the defeat of Rommel's Afrika Corps in Egypt, in a speech in November 1942 when he said, "It is not the end; it is not the beginning of the end. It is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Discuss how God transforms endings and dying into beginnings and living. 4. Reflect on this, from <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI4eniLFLaCr9l1uFLSyhHshbb4w9iwsOiSB-2BYbHyJm-2BLr3u\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVYDdPRreGbUu6ko8RQyyRM3NP44mnNc4WzTQ-2FxHFPHGNLXSbl2w5NkZu55bOLv0rfHm1Ri9bDUh4TQTmnciOTdwY7CJxN2ogck5hsBnSXi6-2FbpVb-2B2NsKt7-2F1-2Ffoqzqv1UeRvXuIseGA7XGCZ2E0J57F2c-2BV4MUzU5BnWEZxyIg-2F07tHrx4xazIOBcKCFVLZHIuRlB1g3cTWzASOltMauTE-3D">This Is Me Letting You Go</a>, by Heidi Priebe: "To love someone long-term is to attend a thousand funerals of the people they used to be. The people they're too exhausted to be any longer. The people they grew out of, the people they never ended up growing into. We so badly want the people we love to get their spark back when it burns out, to become speedily found when they are lost. "But it is not our job to hold anyone accountable to the people they used to be. It is our job to travel with them between each version and to honor what emerges along the way. Sometimes it will be an even more luminescent flame. Sometimes it will be a flicker that temporarily floods the room with a perfect and necessary darkness." Responding to the News 1. Try your hand at writing your own obituary. You can find some prompts to get you started in the links above. If you wish, share what you've written with the group, in person or in a group email or online session. What did you learn about yourself and each other through this exercise? 2. Share the hymn, <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPHHO527dt29LPBX36dBL43xkuZv8qNFAaMHECXm8vIwofMRP\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVbOnXmxD6qegNjFzMADic46oFwS00lMWtoYfjugDHPrEjKqIE-2FMqIxY8Wi8Fat7enq-2FcGSdbMj5ZfjPCVUsTZ2dcN-2FhXFju5dNs4QZHa0UGCRABed1YVUoHi0pxv4m-2FoQ8JEGSE9H2OYb4-2BCu6pH-2F9ON-2FPNYZ2LOllRtMqmapJ-2BiEk3Rk5mdsvh5Vp5P-2BmnyDSlEIpXSO97-2FKIylQZaR4XY-3D">In the Bulb There is a Flower (Video 3:10)</a> as a statement of your faith that God has provided the seed of new beginnings within every ending, of new life on the other side of death. Prayer suggested by <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxB1sByFkCq00De7qxK5Zsvg7yWiDdQyQY53QLeao1FM3iL9zcXNfB9dR3l7TktSl3EsXn\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVSLZHxTteO9Ef2nWfFoqoXcuKDigsnDS-2BqMyrMi0KPALqEBAL1DqrT95oICT-2FX8Sbearh1LjBrUgCHP1fY7BtwTRg6Ou7hkclWnbADXPZtbMAQjI0SC6c5VZWuwFkt3XzixDFIChXZArJbwBhyFeyVYnSlIFwC-2FGrOF9DYhBvJIyovsw2Zk4kCAaOMHUk6L-2F9WS89X-2FCjUTSOabysDb0WB0-3D">Romans 14:7-9</a>; <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxzNGX396sVFOaUcnbldjl-2BHwzJcZlo2iAA2O3Zjj3oy-2F15-2FBxUXFGynCt5pUnliqZdf34\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmWvOZI08ELmm4eyKyFlZgZW3AFCIi4viHYy5MxkNM0uUizjMG2tiR-2FUnU19k6KZaVU0PHexj4jxlVaI3Pz4oiNAiykugEJqJrpKXu-2FabrpgHDSBYfwdd0AWpn1l0CC3wPrewW-2Fzh1hiGuT7U6PXvZ8Pr5D6-2FHBq05y6iHmEpzZCVj4r15NWbmJ-2BtXwHOIgJ8KiLW1c4LunxU7tOG-2BCePYhk0PD42KGBIOZ7kGnNVH9dxqTy1rGqHfTCmIoast-2BllCuIg3nRt9U69rdJcj-2BwTymk-3D">Philippians 1:15-30</a> Immortal God, we marvel that you condescend to care for mere mortals, and even make a way for us to partake of life eternal through the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ! Now we do not live or die for ourselves, but whether we live or die, we belong to you. In all our words and deeds, may Christ be exalted now as always in our bodies, whether by life or by death, for to us, living is Christ and dying is gain. Amen. 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