The Plan

Lately I've been thinking about the "Plan". Now, I know there are a lot of "Plans" out there; the plan of Happiness, the Plan of Salvation, city plans, house plans, development plans, emergency plans, etc. But the Plan I'm talking about is one that came about during a conversation had by my lovely wife and I following the sudden death of a friend. He was about our age and one morning he kissed his wife good-bye, hopped on his favorite motorcycle and left on an errand. He never returned. His death was one of those unexpected things that not only saddens you but makes you feel your own mortality and causes you to think deep thoughts.

After the funeral, Regina and I were sitting on the couch in one of those moments when you feel the need to be very close to the one you love and the "Plan" came into being. We were talking of how we really didn't know how we could possibly handle such a sudden and complete loss. With such an irrevocable hole blown through our lives, how would we muster the strength to conquer the sadness and move through the rest of the days, months and years we would face alone? As I pondered those things, my thoughts moved away from how would I live without Regina if she left me to what would I be experiencing if I were the one to leave. I realized that, as hard as it would be for me to leave her in such a position of grief and sadness, I would be excited and ready to move on. For those who understand that this life is a place to learn and to grow; to be tested and to overcome; death is graduation time. All of the wonderful blessings our Heavenly Father promises are waiting on the other side of the veil. In fact, the whole purpose of living is to get to that point where we leave life behind. So, I told her that she needed to be aware that, as hard as it would be for me to leave her alone...and that would be extremely hard, I would be anxious to take the next step; to charge forward with life. I told her that I would understand a period of grieving but that I would hope and expect that she would move through that grief and, knowing that I was happily anticipating our reunion, that she should move on with life and enjoy the blessings that come with mortality. She thought about it and agreed that her hope would also be that if she is the first, I, too, would quickly come to the point where I resumed the joyful experience of living.

So, that's the "Plan" as it has come to be known by us. We don't want our passing to be the point at which life virtually ends for the other also. Which ever of us leaves first will do so with a soft sadness for having left but with the confidence that the other will not let our going ruin the rest of their earthly experience. The one who is left will give place for grief and loss but cherish the good things to be had in mortality. We'll still think of each other when we see an amazing sunset or walk through the mountains or play with the grand kids. We won't shut life out but, honoring the wishes of the one on the other side of the veil, we will embrace life until it is our turn to take that next step. So the "Plan" is to, whatever happens, choose to Live.........................Later