What If

On our daily walk, Gracie and I rounded a corner and hit the familiar home stretch of our outing.

BAM. This scene flooded my eyes.

Trees, fences, and homes in dark silhouette.
Skies overhead looming with dark, menacing clouds.
But low on the horizon, framed by the darkness, a vibrant pastel burst of late sunset color.

A voice from deep inside me said, This is what it looks like to die.”

At first, I pushed back at my own macabre thoughts. Where on earth had that horrible idea come from?! I quickened my pace  toward home, trying to shake off the cokd fear that suddenly ran like ice through my veins.

As I passed under the towering trees along the final stretch of sidewalk, I reminded myself that as natural as death may be, it’s also quite natural to fear death.

We all do.

Even those of us who put our faith in a higher power and a life hereafter. Death is just big and powerful and mysterious and scary, and I reminded myself that there was no shame in admitting that.

As Gracie and I ducked under our rose trellis and ambled up the front lawn, another idea hit me.

What if death is amazing?

What if that moment of transcendence, when I will slip from my earthly body and pass over into eternity; what if that is the most brilliant and breathtaking thing I will ever do?

What if dying is as beautiful as the scene I’d just seen?

And what if, instead of spending my life fearing death - or at least feeling vaguely uncomfortable about it - what if I looked forward to it with an eager expectation of profound beauty and joy?

What if?