I have always been drawn to elephants. They are fascinating creatures who exhibit a wide range of emotional and social behavior. One of the characteristics that attracts me most is their interaction with the dead and dying members of their herds. Elephants are known to travel great distances to visit the bones of their deceased members. They often display ritualistic behaviors with these bones, caressing the bones and clearly mourning the loss of their fellow elephant.
I think the same thing that draws me to elephants also draws me to chaplaincy. I am not scared of death. I certainly want to live a long, full life, but I do not fear the day that death will come. I believe that death can be a beautiful experience in addition to the pain and sadness that accompany it. There are moments of tenderness and compassion, celebrations of life and legacies, glimpses of the transcendent, and and an opportunity to meet one another and God at our deepest and most raw levels. No one can meet death, either your own or a loved one’s, and not be moved.
Much against the prevailing culture, I long to be around those who are dying or who are losing a loved one. In my experience, this is where life really begins – in the acceptance that we are all mortal beings with an unknown and finite life span. Embrassing life to its fullest extent, celebrating all of life’s joys and sorrows, embracing each day we are given as a gift from God is the key to truly living. We honor God when we live not in fear of death, but in celebration of life.
Very moving post, Karen.
I recently found out about this Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. http://www.elephants.com/
Karen–thank you for your words and your wisdom and your witness! I am thankful to be in ministry with you. Love you.
This is really beutiful! Reminds me of the power of touch and how we remember “those whom we touch and who touch us.”