How do you feel about dying? I get tired of my person-ness at times too. I get sick of being me. I might like to be someone else. Or a bird. Or a deer. Or a rock. And I don’t think I’ll mind — in 40 years or so, I’m in no rush — when I have to get off the bus.

I heard Phyllis Tickle speak, like 22 years ago, at United Methodist Women. She was teaching at Union Seminary and she came over to the God Box (475 Riverside Drive) to speak to the Women’s Division Board of Directors. I was impressed.

I remember Phyllis saying that people asked her – because she was such an intellectual – why was she a Christian? And she said it was because when she was a child, there was something that rang true to her about Christianity. She could not argue with her child self’s cerititude. This seemed to me to be as good a reason as any to be a Christian. I may have misremembered her words. It was a long time ago.

Knowing you’re going to die someday — I’m going to, we’re all going to — does this knowledge make us a little more mindful? A little more aware of the beauty around us? Of the transient nature of our existence?

How do we stay present in every single precious day? Phyllis Tickle died on September 22nd. I wonder if the journey went as she remembered?