There are many stories and jokes about death, some sad, some funny but there are many stories that use death as their central theme. You may say that death is not a joking matter. Why not? Death is universal, it is expected, in some cases it is tragic and in some it is sad, but there are times, that death is even a good thing, a relief from pain and many times it is, in fact, even humorous. If one were to place a bet in regards to death, it would be referred to as a ‘sure bet’. We all die, some very young, some in their adult prime, others, when in a ripe old age. That ripe old age also moves along a scale. When I was very young, I believe, the ‘average age’ for a person to die was 48. That number changes with the circumstances in the world at any given time. The forty eight figure, I’m sure, had something to do with the second world war that had just ended, with young soldiers dying hourly. In war zones there were people, dying from the bombings of towns and cities where the war was raging in Europe and Asia.
In days past, before the modern day abundance of healthy food, clean water, health education, medical services, facilities and supplies, etc. the mortality scale was much lower than now. During the times of health consciousness and times of sustained peace, the mortality rate goes up. In 2017, the average mortality age was, 68 for men and 72 for women. So a person who lives beyond 72 has been blessed or cursed depending on their state of mind and health.
There is a story about an undertaker who came up to an elderly woman at the funeral of her husband and asked, “How old was your husband when he died?” “98” she replied. “Two years older than me” ‘So you’re 96, the undertaker commented. She responded, ‘Hardly worth going home, is it?”
Age is not always the factor in whether we live or die. People die at all ages and from many causes. Just last week a beautiful 28 year old female newscaster died suddenly of a health problem, a problem that she apparently wasn’t aware of. It may seem sacrilegious to make a joke about death, but the best jokes are usually inspired by common, every day events and there is nothing more common and every day than is death. Death is most likely uncommon in the confines of an individual family but very common in society as a whole. What makes a joke funny is its unusualness, the uncommon and different way of seeing people and life (or death). For example; “A man had tickets for the Super Bowl at a ‘nosebleed’ height in the huge stadium. He could hardly see the players. As he sat down, he noticed that there was a seat down in front that was empty. He made his way to that empty seat and asked the man next to the empty seat whether anyone was sitting there. “No,” the man replied, “The seat is empty.” “This is incredible,” said the first man. “Who in their right mind would buy a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the world and not use it?” The second man replied, “Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This will be the first Super bowl we haven’t been together since we got married in 1967.” “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. That’s terrible. But couldn’t you find someone else — a friend, a relative, or even a neighbor to use and enjoy the seat?” The man shook his head. “Naw, they’re all at the funeral.”
Then there are, so-called, artist and musicians who write about everything- they even write about death. Some of their artistry leaves something to be desired. For example, the following song was written (composed) by Jim Carroll titled: “Your Time Has Come” and sung by a popular group called, the American Hard Rock Band. The dash below represents the start of a new verse:
“Now one fell asleep in the street and he never woke up
And now one died in pieces in his bed with a mouth full of bones
And one threatened me long ago, I saw him melt in the bright light of day
And one laid to rest in a field under starlings and crows
– I’ve been wandering sideways
I’ve stared straight into the sun
Still I don’t know why you’re dying
Long before your time has come
Your time has come
– Now one took some bullets in the chest in a deal gone wrong
And one got a little too depressed and he went and jumped the gun
One got shot right in the face and he somehow survived
But he doesn’t know my name or who I am and I’m not surprised
– I’ve seen 50,000 names all engraved on a stone (Arlington)
Most of them met an early grave, years before I was born.
All of them left brothers and sisters and mothers behind
Most of their family and friends are still alive and doing time.” (Amazon Music)
The lyrics, to me, are dumb and the music is probably cachaphony and loud. But, I can just see youth, jumping up and down and going wild at such a concert. That ‘mind’ picture’ is the only thing that is a little funny to me.
Death’ is sometimes referred to as an actual being, one who carries a sickle and wears a dark, hooded robe. This fictitious person is called the “Grim Reaper’. His purpose, I suppose, is to give us someone to blame, someone to curse. Sometimes, it really does seem like someone just came and took our loved one away from us. Here today and gone tomorrow! They are here today and no longer with us, on the morrow. We may wonder, where did they go to, the ‘spirit’ that was in them, the thing that caused them to think, to laugh, to be alive, to love, to talk, to experience life’s joys and to have their ‘being’?
Years ago a 16 year old girl named Svetlena, who lived in Moscow, Russia, wrote; “I think the world is stupidly conceived! We study all our lives, and then when we have learned and then learned more and have worked and are still capable of working -we die! It all ends in the grave, Our scientists should strive for an immortality pill so that all we have learned is not lost.” She thought we were no more than Mayflies who are born in the morning, dance a short time in the sun, and then die at sunset. Svetlena lived in a country where religion was discouraged and where only a small percentage of the population attend services and know anything about life after death.
Wise King Solomon, believed that, the day of one’s death is better than that of his birth. When a human being is born all rejoice, and when he dies all weep. King Solomon thought that it should not be so. Rather, at one’s birth no one has cause to rejoice yet; for no one knows to what future the babe is born, what will be the development of his intellect or of his soul, and by what works he will stand; whether he will be a righteous man or a wicked man; and whether good or evil will befall him. But when he dies, then all ought to rejoice if he has departed leaving a good name, and has gone out of this world in peace. This may be likened to the parable of two ships that had set out to sail upon the great ocean. One of them was going forth from the harbor, and one of them was coming into the harbor. And every one was cheering the ship that set sail from the harbor, and rejoicing, and giving it a joyous send-off. But over the ship that came into the harbor no one was rejoicing. A wise man there said: “I see a reason for the very opposite conduct to yours. You ought not to rejoice with the ship that is going out of the harbor, for no one knows what will be her fate; how many days she will have to spend on the voyage, and what storms and tempests she will encounter. But as for the ship that has arrived safely in port, all should rejoice with her, for she has returned in peace.” That makes sense but King Solomon’s wisdom is seldom followed nor even read in today’s world. When I die I would like there to be rejoicing, as king Solomon suggested, because I am returning to my home port safely, I have been truly blessed on my journey most all my life. I would also like to think that I have made a small contribution to my family and even my community.
Personally, I believe, I really believe, that we were created as spirits by a loving Heavenly Father. I believe the planet earth was created by the Son of God, by the Father’s command. It was created specifically as a place for our spirits to be physically born, a place for us to live and learn, even to be challenged. When death comes, our spirits, created by God, leaves the physical body and goes to a place the Father has prepared. It is a place where spirits can interact while they wait for the time of the resurrection. The resurrection, when every spirit will be reunited with its physical body, the body it had while on earth, together they become immortal for all eternity. We do not understand how the resurrection takes place. It is to man as miraculous as the miracle of life itself. But we do know that the resurrected state is the final state of man. Endowed with a spiritualized and tangible body, he will then be in the position “to receive a fullness of Joy.” We believe that the same God who brought forth man on earth will bring him forth in the resurrection. It will be a time when we begin a new state or stage of life, a time when we begin our next phase of progress toward eternal perfection. What exactly that will be like we cannot know as mortals. We only know that the path will be taken as families and loved ones together. Much like a ship leaving the harbor once again. A mystery now but one day pure light and truth.