Death is also a part of life. It is not the end of life.

I learned this while I was working at a nursing home

for the elderly and also when my own father died.

At the nursing home, there were many kinds of death and

I was with the residents when they were dying or

between life and death.

It doesn't matter whether you're young or not

because we don't know when our death will come or

how it will come. No one can escape it.

When I was with someone dying I thought about my own death. During those times, my own death didn't seem so far away.

Some of those I was with died peacefully, others very painfully of feeling lonely.

There were reasons for each. I remember one elderly person's death.

He didn't want to die right to the very moment of death.

He never accepted his pain.

I thought it was because of his personality.

He had four children but while he was in our center,

his children didn't come often.

When he died. only his wife was with him. It was very sad.

When I saw the family they seemed to have been waiting for his death. I could see their resentment towards one another.

When the doctor diagnosed my father's illness,

 his spreading cancer, my father seemed to accept it.

During chemotherapy,

though there would be times he would deny it.

Other times he would be afraid or at times he would seem to accept his imminent death.

Though he had erratic feelings he believed in Jesus' love

and he believed in Jesus' resurrection.

 His faith was strong.

That's why he told me death was not the end of life.

He died peacefully and I believe he is in heaven with Jesus,

 as he believed.

We have to prepare for our own death, even just by thinking about it.

Sometimes I ask myself,

'Do I really believe that death is not the end of life?'

After that, I continue to ask whether I feel happy or not.

Jesus also prepared for his death.

He already knew his death was coming.

That was why he went to the garden and prayed,

 "Father if it is your will take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done."

Scripture writes, 'In great anguish he prayed even more fervently; his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground'(luke 22:42-44). He worked only for God's will.

Before, I didn't think about death.

Now I wish I can die peacefully when my time comes.

I want to say to God, 'Thank you for giving me life, I lived well.' It makes me humble because when I think about my death,

I also thing about my faults.

I don't want to die without healing and reconciliation,

still with anger and resentments.

May each of us also prepare for our own death,

whether we are young or old.