Today I’m Thinking About Death

Thinking About Death (1943) - Frida Kahlo

today i’m thinking
about death
a friend of a friend
breast cancer

hope she’ll be okay
she’ll need surgery
and chemotherapy
and radiotherapy

no way out of that - it’ll suck

but at the other end
i hope for her sake
she’ll have a
long life ahead

she has two kids
similar ages to mine
(aka – young)
i hope for their sakes too

though I didn't
start off thinking
about my death
now I am

mum do you want
to die like dot
- asked my youngest

yes i do
at some point
in the distant
future

dot was my grandma - she died in her sleep

but what about
hopes
dreams
ideas & plans

are they also something
that will happen in my sleep
at some point
in the distant future

maybe i’ll live till 100
maybe i’ve only got
another year
who really knows

we exist on the assumption
that our lifespan will be
at least average
but it might not be

none of us knows
when we'll
take that final
breath

but imagine if we did
what would we do different
what would we do now
instead of tomorrow

this life
that thing
those dreams…
when

maybe we haven’t
got as long
as we thought
to pull it off

shit - I know

this is shaping up
as another "do it now" 
motivational sermon
isn’t it

this isn’t that 

it’s just me to you
sharing thoughts
about death and life
shorter than expected

and a day
a breath
a moment
a minute

to start something
today
instead of
delay

...any longer.

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Leonie Orton is a writer, editor and marcomms consultant. She'll create communication mediums in the shape of words, graphics and webs for your business, connecting you with the people who need you. When she's not head down with this, she's teaching yoga, playing with flowers, growing vegetables and being a mother. Get in touch by email, facebook or subscribe to her weekly blog.