Greg is dead

Since 2005, I played basketball with him at a local gym upwards of three times a week.
Casually hung out at get-togethers: birthdays, assorted celebrations, occasional funerals, etc.
He was my age, 50, had two less kids, two boys and two girls, all around the same age.
Pancreatic cancer, diagnosed May 2013.

Last time I saw him, disease had withered him, aged him to a frail shell; thought he was someone's great-uncle.

He wasn't good at basketball, but he had timing.
He watched people's patterns and anticipated their moves which led to steals and rebounds: he helped his team.

Before his certain demise, he was in just as good of shape as me, for intents vital and full of vigor.
Wasted.

This isn't my swan song.
I'm bitter enough to last another fifty years, easy.
But I don't want a single one of you who passes this way to not hear this message, despite my barbs otherwise.

Your debt has been paid.
Accept the gift; live.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Since 2005, I played basketball with him at a local gym upwards of three times a week.
Casually hung out at get-togethers: birthdays, assorted celebrations, occasional funerals, etc.
He was my age, 50, had two less kids, two boys and two girls, all around the same age.
Pancreatic cancer, diagnosed May 2013.

Last time I saw him, disease had withered h ...[text shortened]... ar this message, despite my barbs otherwise.

Your debt has been paid.
Accept the gift; live.

Death is inevitable. And horrible. Sorry for you for the loss of your mate.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Since 2005, I played basketball with him at a local gym upwards of three times a week.
Casually hung out at get-togethers: birthdays, assorted celebrations, occasional funerals, etc.
He was my age, 50, had two less kids, two boys and two girls, all around the same age.
Pancreatic cancer, diagnosed May 2013.

Last time I saw him, disease had withered h ...[text shortened]... ar this message, despite my barbs otherwise.

Your debt has been paid.
Accept the gift; live.

"Greg is dead" Cause of death: "Pancreatic cancer, diagnosed May 2013". Freaky, as the retired widower of an elegant lady from New England who departed this life as result of the identical, inoperable organ malfunction just before noon on a rainy Thursday in Northern California, January 9, 2003, in ICU #110 you have my empathy and condolences. The "disease had withered" Evelyn as well; her athletic body had also "aged" beyond recognition since Thanksgiving Day, November 2002.

Note: Previous two days, the narcotics dosage strength usually prescribed was ineffective in managing the excruciating pain. Her medication regimen was changed to Dilaudid with an Ativan Booster [upwards on a 10 scale]. It put her out. I asked her physcian how he would describe her consciousness level. "Sir, your wife is in an Obtunded State". Looked it up that evening. As I recall, the word's origin traces back to the 1500s with the meaning of being hit in on the head with a blunt instrument with the force of a hammer. Three days before as we drove to that emergency room from our home five miles away, I said: "Ev, you know that from here on in our entire situation is in God's Hands". She turned toward me from the passenger side and said with magnificent conviction: "Bob, I know that. It's always been.". Those words wouldn't have been possible before she became a believer in Christ seven months after we met in Boston twenty five years earlier. "Accept the gift; live."

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Since 2005, I played basketball with him at a local gym upwards of three times a week.
Casually hung out at get-togethers: birthdays, assorted celebrations, occasional funerals, etc.
He was my age, 50, had two less kids, two boys and two girls, all around the same age.
Pancreatic cancer, diagnosed May 2013.

Last time I saw him, disease had withered h ...[text shortened]... ar this message, despite my barbs otherwise.

Your debt has been paid.
Accept the gift; live.

You have my condolences. Someone I knew died recently too.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Since 2005, I played basketball with him at a local gym upwards of three times a week.
Casually hung out at get-togethers: birthdays, assorted celebrations, occasional funerals, etc.
He was my age, 50, had two less kids, two boys and two girls, all around the same age.
Pancreatic cancer, diagnosed May 2013.

Last time I saw him, disease had withered h ...[text shortened]... ar this message, despite my barbs otherwise.

Your debt has been paid.
Accept the gift; live.

Are you talking about Gregsflat? Ah, I see not. Gregsflat is near me in Philly.

Your Greg is in California, right? Gregsflat is a pro musician here.

My condolences for your loss. RIP. I recently lost my guitar mentor, Mike A Stewart, my long time blues teacher. Massive heart attack. He is missed.

Originally posted by FMF
You have my condolences. Someone I knew died recently too.

My sympathies too to both of you and to all, since it's what happens more and more as we go on.

Originally posted by JS357
My sympathies too to both of you and to all, since it's what happens more and more as we go on.

I live in a fairly closely knit neighbourhood with a high proportion of people who are already getting on. When neighbours pass away ~ regardless of their religion ~ it is almost invariably announced [along with the funeral/wake arrangements] over the local mosque's tannoy at about 5 am [if it happened overnight]. And it happens all too often.

In addition, my parents' generation - with their relatively big families and keenly perceived family trees - are now dying off too. I may have been to half a dozen family funerals in the last six months.

Does anyone understand how the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth?

A good name is better than a good ointment,
And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.

(Ecclesiastes 7:1 NASB)

Originally posted by RJHinds
Does anyone understand how the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth?

The only "meaning" that I think death has is that it brings to an end the incredible opportunities and capacities that birth makes possible. Telling yourself something along the lines of 'the day after you die is what provides life with meaning', to me ~ Hebrew mythology notwithstanding ~ is missing the point of life and squandering the finite time that we have.

Originally posted by RJHinds
Does anyone understand how the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth?

[b]A good name is better than a good ointment,
And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.

(Ecclesiastes 7:1 NASB)[/b]

How can one regard the passing of this world from our shoulders and entrance into the Kingdom of God as not a good thing?

In birth, we are taken from loved ones and from God and shoved unceremoniously into this harsh and unforgiving world. In death, we return to our loved ones and to God.

"And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth." Indeed.

I would have expected a fundaliteral Christian to at least get this.

Originally posted by FMF
The only "meaning" that I think death has is that it brings to an end the incredible opportunities and capacities that birth makes possible. Telling yourself something along the lines of 'the day after you die is what provides life with meaning', to me ~ Hebrew mythology notwithstanding ~ is missing the point of life and squandering the finite time that we have.

Reminds me of a Modest Mouse song, with the line:

"You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?"

Death is the 300 pound gorilla/elephant in the room for each of us, regardless of age or physical condition.
Greg was 50, I'm 50 but people die at every age.
It--- death--- sits like a constrained and highly-trained dog with a treat on its nose, anticipating its master's release.
We don't hold it back with our enthusiasm or even our physical vigor; we're at the mercy of the master between first breath and inevitable expiry.

Originally posted by Suzianne
How can one regard the passing of this world from our shoulders and entrance into the Kingdom of God as not a good thing?

In birth, we are taken from loved ones and from God and shoved unceremoniously into this harsh and unforgiving world. In death, we return to our loved ones and to God.

"And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth." Indeed.

I would have expected a fundaliteral Christian to at least get this.

If that be the case, then perhaps all our funerals should be more like the New Orleans style with music and dancing.

YouTube

New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band funeral procession

YouTube

Originally posted by RJHinds
Does anyone understand how the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth?

Depends who the "one" is.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Reminds me of a Modest Mouse song, with the line:

"You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?"

A lyric from a Modest Mouse song does not create an "afterlife" although I concede that quoting a pop song at me that mentions the word "afterlife" is a tiny element of your search for meaning in your life.