Thursday, 27 September 2007

Life, Change, Death and Transformation

I’m sure I was half-cat. If you want to upset a cat, change something. Cats do not care to adjust, adapt, take change in their stride. They complain, sniff, stalk about, and, if truly indignant, poop on your pillow. So much for change.

Unfortunately for us cats, Life IS change. It’s animated, exuberant, dynamic, energetic, vigorous, moving, CHANGING.

Mr Al tried to teach me this, but back then I was certain that if only I could get it Right, change would stop. If I could get it right, that perfect homeostasis would be mine for ever. Perfection. Stasis. No more uncertainty.

I struggled to become perfect.

Not surprisingly, this did not happen. Instead, once he’d reached his prime, Mr Al’s lungs gave out and he died. Now there’s a Change for you!

I tried hard to “get it”. Life is Change, he had said. Growing up is change, moving is change, working is change, every aspect of living was change . . . and death — well, death was the biggest change of all!

But that would mean . . . that death was the biggest part of Life?


Change, not cessation. Was that a sort of — metamorphosis? Could death simply be a form of . . . transformation?

3 comments:

Susan Lenz said...

Hi!
Thanks ever so much for visiting my blog and viewing my videos. I was saddened to read that your father died most recently. Keep up the journaling; surely, it will turn into something quite wonderful, a special work of art. Your altered books are grand. I've enjoyed admiring the pages you posted.
Susan

Dieverdog said...

I think in our society today we have really removed ourselves from death and all it means... we are distant from the cycle of life and have clinicalized death and have for the most part put it away from us and fear it...it is something for the hospital and doctors to deal with, people used to die at home, funerals and wakes were in the home and of course people experienced it more often than we do today with modern medicine.

That's not to mean that people hurt less back then when losing a loved one, but they understood it differently than we do, I think. They perhaps saw more sides to it than we do, it was something they thought about more often as it was more integral to their daily lives. I think it was more part of the process and cycle that is life and today so many see it just as an ending, something negative. Journaling is a good way to explore thoughts, memories and feelings... and to have those to look back on years from now when you may have different feelings and insights and perspectives on the same things. Recording memories is a great idea... some memories do fade... some don't but they are good to put down, just the same. Sharing them like you did here is a wonderful thing for others because it can spark memories for them of their lives...

Dieverdog said...

Since you emailed me this morning I'm returning the favor by tagging you!
... come to my blog and see what to do! (I got tagged and am just passing the fun along) Hope you enjoy it and have fun doing it.
http://dieverdog.blogspot.com/