Why death is good

The first few years on Father's Day after my dad passed away, I felt I was missing something that everyone else was busy enjoying -- time with their living Dad. Instead, I found myself busy unsubscribing to anything that kept trying to sell me Father's Day gifts.

For most of my life, I have felt that death is a bad thing. Nobody wishes anyone dead, after all. If you have pets or family members, you know that sting of losing something or someone you loved. However, now that I have faced a few more losses in my life from death and also learned vicariously from people I know whose business ventures have also faced death, I have developed a new appreciation for death. 

Whether it's a business or a loved one, there is always some interaction that causes some wounds. Perhaps it's the sharp tongue of the person you loved who said hurtful things not to intentionally hurt you but to provide useful feedback, just not in the most tactful way. Perhaps it's the business that financially wounded you and caused severe strain with your spouse and your family for many years when it didn't take off or customers and investors ruthlessly rejecting you over and over again. 

These wounds are often re-opened many times over in these relationships. Because we care so much about the person who is your family member or friend, or the business that you have put some much time and resources towards, it's hard to simply walk away from it. We feel the need to fight on. And sometimes we can't bring ourselves to, because you can't imagine letting go of a family member...until the hand is forced upon us, and death occurs. 

As they say, time heals all wounds. The re-opening of the same old wounds do start to finally heal after death. And I have come to realize this is one of the unspoken benefits of death. 

After death, there is only reflection. There is no longer the thought of how to fix it or what to do or say going forward. 

To take it a step further, I'd go as far as to say that if you feel trapped in a relationship, death is something that one can actually count on for any living thing. As for a business, when it closes, it is tough to accept but it does provide closure, relief, release, and a new beginning with healing such wounds. 

This topic sounds a bit morbid, but is intended to introduce a different view on death. It's not always a bad thing. Perhaps it's something to embrace...dare I say, even look forward to? There is something very liberating about that thought: to never fear death and know that some level of promised relief is forthcoming, sometimes for both parties.

We know we have limited time with all of the living things we interact with, so our time with them is precious. For all the good and the bad they bring, we know the bad will go away eventually, but so will the good. 

We can also turn lemons into lemonade and learn from these negative encounters so we can do better ourselves. We can learn to appreciate the good with the bad, and know that the bad will not have to be endured forever.