Well, death does knock relentlessly.

Why deny it? Even better. Let's talk about it.

My buddy's Mom died a few days before Christmas. She was 70. I cut out the obituary and brought it back from my trip to TX.

He seemed to take it pretty well. Didn't really want a shoulder to cry on. Just wanted to try to recover his strength from the ordeal and get his bearings again. He talked about it some. But mostly just seemed concerned with the details of the funeral and making all of the surviving folks happy with the terms of the final settlements. The question of money seemed to come up among them all more consistently than any other topic. You'd think at a time like that it would be most apparent that you don't take it with you, but wasn't the case. Once again, this life took precedence over the next. God must have a hell of a lot of patience.

Folks get upset over strange things when people die. Little things to most of us. The wording of an obit. Where people sit at the memorial service. They seem to re-write history especially for the occasion. Makes me wonder how skewed my own perspectives might be. I hope I put emphasis on the here and now, being present, being aware, and loving and giving as I go forward. Looking back doesn't seem to provide much use if we change the past to suit our sensitivities.

My grandmother used to send me $5 for my birthday and would tell me to go out and buy a Coke. I think she had it right. Money is for giving and life is for living.