Download - The Perfect Wisdom Web

Be Not Afraid Reverenceafloat. At one point she even asked everyone sheknew to send her their favorite jokes, and as theyarrived in the mail, she collected them in a binder “forwhen I’m depressed and need a good laugh.” In Carole’scase, it would have been irreverent not to share in hergoofiness. Shortly before she died, she told me:I’ll be honest: when the time comes (as they say) I hopeno one starts singing those hymns about floating aroundin heaven. I’d think I was already descending into mygrave. You know, the words of those songs may be deep,but for some reason, hearing them sung reminds me ofall the most depressing things in life. I know it shouldn’tbe that way, but it is…I need energy, strength for thefight.It scares the heck out of me to think of everybodystanding around and looking all morbid or something.I don’t know; I guess every death is different. I hopethere’s a good basketball game on the court outside mywindow when I go, and some hefty music coming upfrom downstairs…What, then, is reverence? To explain it as the dictionarydoes – “honor” or “deference” – is a good start, butthese words are still abstract. As far as I’m concerned,reverence needs to be experienced to be understood.48