Be Prepared

“Do not go gentle into that good night. Old age should burn and rage at close of day.” ~ Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet & writer (1915-1953)

Her eyes danced with enthusiasm beneath her wire-rimmed spectacles. The glasses bespoke a person much older than the one with whom I was conversing. Everything about her seemed incongruous. Quick, elegant gestures were out of sync with her drapery-like clothes. The articulate animated conversation sounded like it should be coming from the CEO of the latest tech company, not the willowy figure before me.

I tried to focus on the conversation, but I couldn’t help being bemused by the image of the person in contrast to the way in which she presented herself. Her dazzling white starched head piece, high collar coupled with the long brown habit of a Carmelite Sister had me a bit off balance. When she spoke however, she spoke with such enthusiasm and conviction I could not help but listen.

We were standing in the garden of a reception villa on the outskirts of Rome. Archbishop José Gomez had been honored at a Mass in St Peter’s Basilica that morning, and now our group of over 300 was celebrating. Mother Regina Marie, the Mother General of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart, had engaged me in conversation regarding her Order’s latest project. The Carmelite Sisters run care facilities such as Marycrest Manor and Santa Teresita in Alhambra, California. They were building more units to house those for whom they care.

“We care for people during the most important part of their life,” she continued. For a moment I remembered my High School graduation. Our Superintendent of schools had made a similar comment in his commencement address. “These years are the most important years of your lives,” he had said with conviction.

Such a statement might have been wasted on a group of adolescent teenagers, but spoken in reference to an age group, many of which were in skilled nursing, palliative or hospice care, seemed as incongruous as the person in front of me.

“Sister, I’m not doubting you, but how could the years or months spent at the end of life, probably in declining health and being cared for most of the time, be the best years of anyone’s life?” “Essentially, we’re spending it preparing to die.”

“Exactly!” she exclaimed, gesturing with a pointed finger. “What could be more important than the time we spend preparing to meet God?” Her logic was unassailable.

“To every CEO, business owner or project manager I have ever met I have put the same question: when are you most attentive to a project, a new product or a new campaign; and they always have the same answer: ‘Right at the very end!’ Just before it launches, is rolled out, or goes into production!”

At this point she had me hooked; I couldn’t help but listen. “How is what I do any different? The people I care for are at the end of the project we call life. I need to help them ‘finish their project!’”

The call to dinner came unexpectedly. We quickly exchanged business cards and bid each other goodbye, promising to reconnect. “I must go,” she said with a smile. “I’m supposed to sit with the Cardinal.” She disappeared in a rustle of dark brown cloth and starched white linen.

The great spiritualist, St. Ignatius, once quipped that “All life is a preparation for death.” To us, members of the 21st century world, there seems to be a kind of morbidity in this thinking. We think we should be living life “to its fullest” rather than spending it preparing for death. To us death is a terminus rather than a point of departure.

Perhaps therein lies the problem. We spend our lives trying to build a successful life rather than preparing for a successful death. Struggling to survive each of a succession of days, we ignore the journey to our next “jumping off” point.

When we leave on a long trip, we take care to make sure we are well prepared and the things we leave behind are cared for (our house, our pets, perhaps even an elderly relative for which we are responsible). We put time and effort into those preparations to assure “the trip” is everything we hope for. If we take this much time preparing for a trip of a few weeks duration, how much more carefully should we prepare for our trip into the afterlife?

Each day we would do well to ask ourselves Mother Regina Marie's question: “What could be more important than the time we spend preparing to meet God?”

Dear God: What can I do today to prepare for my death?

“Death, when it approaches, ought not to take one by surprise. It should be part of the full expectancy of life. Without an ever- present sense of death life is insipid.” ~Muriel Spark, award winning Scottish novelist (1918-2006)

*Special thanks to the Mother General, Mother Regina Marie O.C.D. and the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart

© 2011 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.

“90 Second Stewardship” All rights are reserved. You are welcome and encouraged to forward this e-mail to family and friends provided the”© 2011 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.” is included along with this message. Organizations, whether for or non profit, are required to receive written approval before reproducing these reflections. If written approval is given the ”© 2011 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.” must be included along with this message.