Forced to face my own Mortality

mortality noun
mor·​tal·​i·​ty | \ mȯr-ˈta-lə-tē

Definition of mortality
1: the quality or state of being mortal
2: the death of large numbers (as of people or animals)
3: archaic : DEATH

Let me first start by stating that to my knowledge there is nothing wrong with me at the moment, stop laughing, I mean physically I am healthy. Recent events and the fact that everyday I grow older have forced me to really think about my own mortality.

I will be 58 years old this year, and I have smoked cigarettes for a good portion of those years. I am also an avid hiker and outdoorsman. I was made for the woods, caused I was raised in the woods! I would say that I live an active lifestyle. I am very thankful and appreciative of the life I have.

Death is one of the subjects we all try to avoid, it’s touchy and emotional. But as I get older and more and more of the people who have been a part of my life begin to depart this place, it has me thinking about what will happen when I pass. I certainly at the moment do not have everything in oder. I am busy living life. But Now it has really started weighing on me, that I do not want to leave a mess for anyone when I go.

I am a collector of things and my home looks more like a museum than a house, being unmarried it is one big man cave! That being said, it is my Man Cave and not anyone else’s. By this I mean, my son don’t want all my junk! My grandson probably does, but he is 9, and that’ll change. I have already begun the task of downsizing and eliminating a lot of things I really do not need to have.

Yard sale season can’t start soon enough!  Time to clear away the clutter I have collected over the years and let someone else enjoy these treasures for awhile. I’ll let you know know when the sale is!

The next thing I really need to jump on is a living will, a will, and an enduring power of attorney setup in the event anything were to occur. This is another one of those really touchy subjects with people. The reality of it is, if we do not take care of these things before we die, our families are left with a mess of legal horse hockey that would make Satan shudder.

I have life insurance, through work and personally. But have never shared this with anyone, and probably need to. The plan is to get all these things completed over the next 90 days, and have 3 sets of each. One in my safe, one in my son’s possession and one in a safe deposit box at the bank. I do have my son as the beneficiary on them though.

I will have my son made a signer for all accounts and the box with POA in the event of any unfortunate circumstances, such as being eaten by a bear. Which by the way was an extra $50 rider on the life insurance. * Eaten by wild animal while, hiking/Camping* This a a real possibility with me by the way. Living life out loud! I just do not want to leave a mess when I go, even if the bear does. Death is inevitable, it’s what happens and we all have to face it.

Being prepared for it, will not help the dead in anyway at all. But it can be a lifesaver for those left picking up the pieces when we go. Having your family and closest friends know and understand your wishes is everything. I have seen way to much fighting in families when the hard decisions had to be made. I do not want that for anyone. A living will can quickly take care of this!

I have always made it clear what my wishes are, but you know how life, and death are. I just want to be cremated and sprinkled from The Pinnacle ( the one on the AT). I want no-one to mourn, but remember and celebrate the impact I have had on each of the ones I love. Share the good memories, and the bad. Not worry about how they are going to pay for a funeral I didn’t want anyway.

Everyone dies twice, once when you physically die and once when the last person to remember you dies. Make an impression, be remembered. Leave fond memories. Spend time with your family. Do the things you love, find the time make the time, you could be dead tomorrow. Make everyday count, smile more and be happy you awoke this morning.

Inventory all the valuables in your home and keep a list with all the other important documents someone may need, so your family knows the value of the things you have.It doesn’t hurt to have this list for your homeowners insurance as well, in the event it was ever needed. If you have a larger family and a lot of things and want to make sure people get certain items or finances when you pass, a notarized last will and testament is an absolute must.

Don’t want the family fighting over who gets to throw what away now do we? The reality is our children probably do not want most of our things. They are from a different time and have a different view of the world, so their homes are far different than ours. It’s just a reality. I love old things, to my son, most of it is junk.

Just my 2 cents, and my opinion. Sitting here forced to face my own mortality.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my rant.