If you live long enough, you experience the deaths of many people and the reaction of others to that death. If you happen to die at age 59 or sooner, your death is seen by all as ‘tragic.” “He or she was so young,” they say. If you happen to hear of someone dying between the ages of 60 and 69, a typical response is, as one shrugs their shoulders, “Well, he (or she) lived a good life.” If you hear of someone dying between 70 and 79, you hear a lot of “Well, he was old. That’s just the way life is!” If you pass to the other side between 80 and 89, most reactions are, “Well, what do you expect. I thought they were going to die years ago.” And if you live longer than that, it’s always the puzzling look of “I didn’t even know they were still alive!”

Time is one thing we cannot stop. And time will always win when it comes to the life of our bodies. Now nearing the time when reports of my death would bring, “Well, he was old. That’s just the way of life,” I’m even more grateful that my belief in a living Savior, Jesus Christ, serves as hope that I am not doomed to the power of death. That I will rise and live again. I will enjoy the company of all my loved ones and fellow earth travelers again. I believe in eternal life and the promises found in the Holy Scriptures. I find comfort in knowing that even if I live till people “didn’t even know I was alive,” that eternity is on the horizon and my ship will sail on…forever!