I’ve had some different relationships with death.
Growing up, we rarely would go out to eat. If dad had a funeral and received an honorarium, he’d take the family to a restaurant. While I can’t say I hoped for people to die, it sure was nice to go out to eat every once in a while.
Being in the fundraising world there are people that make some of their largest gifts after they pass away. Truly, I’ve never hoped someone would die so our organization would receive funds. But I’ve had donors and others ask if we are buzzards waiting for their final time. I’ve always felt that people are worth more alive and if we get a gift on their passing, that’s a bonus.
If you’ve ever taken out a life insurance policy, at least mentally, you tend to calculate whether you’re worth more above or below ground.
Trying to sell our first house, we had two offers fall through. The third offer looked like it was going to hold and we received a call from our realtor. He said the man who was buying the house was separated, but not officially divorced. His wife would not sign off on the house deal and it looked as if it would fall through for the third time. The night before the closing, she died, so the house deal was able to be completed. My friends wanted to know my whereabouts that night, figuring I may have bumped her off.
I’ve had a few NDE’s – Near Death Experiences. One involved a creek, one involved an ice dam over the Sioux Falls, there was this earthquake, and a close call in a vehicle.
If you live long enough, you’re going to feel the sting of losing someone close. So I have had some brushes with death but, as of this writing, I have not been brushed out yet.