The Second Death

I did something tonight I haven't done in months...possibly even years.  I turned off my television after dinner, turned on some music, and curled up with a new book.  I purchased Mitch Albom's latest book "Have A Little Faith" and decided I would read the entire thing tonight.  And I did.  Four hours and 249 pages.  I couldn't put it down.

The book is about Mitch's childhood Rabbi and a request his rabbi has after services one Sunday.  The rabbi asks Mitch to do the eulogy at his funeral.  Mitch, of course, thinks that it's coming sooner rather than later, but decides he needs to get to know the Rabbi as a man, not just a "Man of G-d".  He proceeds to visit him and writes about his visits...just like he did in "Tuesdays With Morrie" (though these meetings were usually on Sunday).

There were many interesting discussions in this book about the Jewish faith, and just faith in general.  There were many things that made me question why I've turned away from my heritage and discounted the idea that I'll ever be a "good Jew".  But there was one particular section that made me think...about Jason.  Mitch asked the Rabbi why people fear death.  He answers that we fear death because of the unknown...what's on the other side of life.  But he says there's something bigger than that that has people afraid to die.  It's the fear of being forgotten:  The Second Death.

Albom lays it out, and it's quite true what he says.  Yes, people do live on through memories, but eventually we will all go through a second death.  Eventually, the stories about us, the memories carried on about us will die with those who've carried them.  Eventually, those memories will cease to exist and we will be gone, again.  But, is that something to be feared, or something to be accepted as part of the circle of life?  That section made me stop for a few minutes and consider Jason, his life, and what's happened since his death.

Jason never knew the impact he had on others.  In fact, there were many times when someone tried to pay him a compliment and he'd brush it aside or pass the buck to someone else.  I wonder if on some subconscious level, he was letting those accolades linger so that they'd hang around long after he was gone.  Either way, his memory is very much still alive today nearly 8 months after he died.  It will be many years before Jason's second death occurs.  I'll see to that myself.

But then, I started thinking beyond Jason...to myself.  I wondered how long it would between my first death and my second death.  What would I be remembered for, and by whom?  I know only time will tell, but I suppose it's up to me to make sure that no matter how long I live that my life has at least some sort of impact on those around me.  Jason did it without knowing he needed to...or maybe he did.  I don't know.

What I do know is that when the time comes for me to cross over, Jason will meet me there and my first order of business will be to hug him...a hug for every day we haven't been able to hug.  If I play my cards right, that'll be a lot of hugs.  It'll be worth it.  He gave good hug.

Until next time --
Stuart