Page 90 - THE ENDLESS WAVE | Skateboarding, Death & Spirituality

THE ENDLESS WAVE | PART ONE
skateboarding’s incredible popularity, one glance at a local skatepark will tell you all you need to know — if you’re lucky, you might spot one or two folks over the age of 30. The good news is that as skateboarding has expanded its vision, there are more older folks rolling on longboards.
If skateboarding was a catalyst that brought you into an entirely new world filled with unique experiences, then I hope that this book inspires you to plunge into finding out more about death and dying.
Take time to visit a death cafe. This is where people gather in a very informal setting to discuss death and dying. It can be done in a medium-sized group or online. Visit websites and learn about the myriad of services that are avail- able. The more armed you are with information, the less likely you’ll feel vul- nerable. Funeral homes bank on this vulnerability. A little knowledge can make all the difference in the world.
While it can be hard to talk with your significant other, about death and dying, it can be extremely worthwhile. Explaining what you feel about quality vs quantity of life is just one thing you can discuss. Make sure your wishes are communicated now because there may come a time when you are incapaci- tated. No one will know what your wishes are and this will lead to a great deal of anxiety and frustration.
Death brings life full circle. Stephen Jenkinson writes about this extensively. Here is just one of his many quotes:
“The meanings of life aren’t inherited. What is inherited is the mandate to make meanings of life by how we live. The endings of life give life’s meanings a chance to show. The beginning of the end of our order, our way, is now in view. This isn’t punishment, any more than dying is a punishment for being born.”
The roots of my journey in the world of publishing started over 26 years ago. I can’t wait to see where the next 26 years take me. But as Joe Strummer fa- mously wrote, “the future is unwritten.”
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