Death

This past week, our Stake Clerk, Pat Fraley, suffered a brain aneurysm and passed away. Everyone knew that Pat was not in good health. He was a big man that probably had high blood pressure and to some extent, hardening of the arteries. But yet he died of something that could happen to any of us and is not always related to being out of shape and overweight.

For those not familiar with what an aneurysm is, it is when a blood vessel bursts. They can happen anywhere in your body, but can be fatal if they happen in the brain. My Father’s mother died from this, as did a third grade teacher at my elementary school. Aneurysms are a fairly common thing that can end one’s life.

It just goes to show that our time on this planet can end at any time. Pat’s business, after many years of struggle and toil, was beginning to take off. His last child got married a couple of years ago, and he had a happy relationship with his wife. From what I know of him, he was a good man, who did the best he knew how, and helped people as a bishop, and employer.

I have thought about how I might punch my ticket. While working at the glass plant, there were a few times each day where I could have been killed. Each and every day I prayed for safety and was blessed with it. But what is stopping me from having an aneurysm, or be struck by lightening? The answer is nothing.

Oh, it is true that you can eat right, exercise daily, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and still get hit by a semi going down the interstate negating your efforts to live longer in seconds. You could go to a Mongolian grill and, without your knowledge, eat some bad mushrooms and die.

Death is a certainty. We can do our best to put it off, but nevertheless, each and all of us will one day end up toes up. So with that in mind, quit wasting time on things that matter least and spend your time on those things that matter most.