Author: Dennis Shannon

Death. Wow! Thats a negative way to begin a story! But is it, really?

Death is the subject no one wants to discuss, but everyone will experience. No one escapes death. Death is the elephant in the room. Its the forbidden word.  We don’t want to talk about dying, we don’t want to think about dying, and we definitely don’t want to see dying.

Contrary to what some seem to think, no one lives on this earth forever. We all die. Its the circle of life. We are born, we live, we die. If death is inevitable, why are we so fearful to discuss? Even among those who claim to be believers in Jesus as Savior and say they know there is a heaven waiting, if you bring up the subject, they will quickly switch to another topic. Ask a friend or family member about their Will, their last wishes, etc., they will get upset, tell you its none of your business, or dance around the subject like the late, great, Gregory Hines!

Candy Chang had a different idea about death.  After losing someone she loved dearly, she channeled her grief into an artistic project; on the side of an abandoned house in a blighted neighborhood in New Orleans. Candy covered the house in chalkboard paint and wrote on the wall, “Before I Die I Want To”. Then, she left a bucket full of chalk on the sidewalk and waited for the response.

One of the first people to write on the wall was dressed like pirate and wrote, “Before I die I want to be convicted of piracy!” ( I am guessing this was after overindulging during Mardis Gras!) Another wrote, “Before I die I want to to see my daughter graduate.” Yet another, “Before I die I want to hold her one more time.” The wall soon filled with the hopes and dreams of all who took time to write on the wall.

What happened on the “Before I Die” wall was remarkable in this way; The people who wrote on the wall didn’t speak of death. They spoke of life. You see, when one dies, another is born. When one breathes his last breath, another is breathing his first. Without the death of Winter there is no beauty of Spring. Death brings forth the resurrection of life. Dying is gain.

So today, get out a paper and a pen. Write, “Before I Die I Want To.” Finish the sentence, and then Go Live!

As always, your comments are welcome!

Dennis Shannon

It’s the first day of 2016 and since I have the day off, I decided to take a little extra time with my daily grooming regimen. As I was trimming my facial hair and overgrown eyebrows, THERE IT WAS! A hair sticking straight out of my ear that was long enough to have come from a woman’s head! How could I have not seen it? It’s not like it grew that long overnight! Even more troubling, how could others not have seen it?…or did they?

Even though I work from home, I go out everyday to walk, to the convenience store, to the coffee shop. Did others notice and laugh behind my back? “Hey, did you see that guy with the long hair growing out of his ear”? Or, were they so repulsed by the site of it they went home and dry heaved?

Now, I can understand complete strangers not wanting to get involved in pointing out personal hygiene issues to people they don’t know, (Even though they ridicule those same people behind their backs.) but how about my family and close friends? Surely they noticed! What about my girlfriend? I am confident she saw it. Why did she not say something? She never misses the opportunity to tell me I have the same shirt on every time she sees me. On New Years Eve she even laughed in derision when I shared my hopes and dreams for 2016! But nose hair? Not a peep!

We live in a world where people feel empowered to do every disgusting thing under the sun, in public, in front of us, in our face, but most of the time, we say nothing; at least not in front of them. Why is that? Do we think saying it behind their back makes it more acceptable?  Most of us would never dream of mocking and ridiculing someone in person. Why is it OK to do the same thing in private?

So, if someone you love has a long, disgusting hair growing out of his ear (or nose), don’t be silent! Don’t go home and tell everyone how your husband, or Dad or brother (or wife!) had a big hair coming out of their ear! Let them know! Be direct but speak the truth in love! I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, I would appreciate!

As ALWAYS, your comments, views and opinions are appreciated!

Dennis Shannon