We clasp the hands of those that go before us, And the hands of those who come after us. We enter the little circle of each other's arms And the larger circle of lovers, Whose hands are joined in a dance, And the larger circle of all creatures, Passing in and out of life, Who move also in a dance, To a music so subtle and vast that no ear hears it Except in fragments.
Wendell Berry
Being present at (a) death often leaves us feeling...something. It is difficult to string the language together to accurately capture what the feeling is. It is full bodied. If it is as Wendell Berry descibes it above, it becomes clearer why it is so powerful. It is an experience that does not obey the accepted laws of time and physics. We are aware, in those moments, of all the generations and all living things. There is no separation, no us and them. Our bodies become extrasensoraly attuned. It is the same rush and all too fleeting moment of clarity we feel if we are fortunate enough to be at a birth. All comings and goings are orchestrated. Are you listening?
