‘Dare we hope? We dare.
Can we hope? We can.
Should we hope? We must.
We must, because to do otherwise is to waste the most precious of gifts, given so freely by God to all of us. So when we do die, it will be with hope and it will be easy and our hearts will not be broken.’
Andy Ripley, 10 June 2007, Athlone Friary
I attended a wonderful Mozart’s Requiem concert in the ancient church of St Leger in Cognac in early May this year. I was enthralled and uplifted by the wonderful music, as were the 400 in the audience and the 200 performers. We were all amazed at the intricacy of the Requiem and the beauty of the composition.
Later I discovered that Mozart did not complete the Requiem – in one of life’s supreme ironies, death took the unfinished work from his hand. There are a variety of versions, which claim to be authentic to Mozart’s style and vision of the work, and the chorus music is slightly different in each. Süssmayr did the bulk of the work, but compared to the genius of Mozart he was unfortunately a composer of limited technique.
The movements Mozart did compose have all of the voice parts and the orchestral bass line fully scored.
So once again Death was victorious and the life of the genius proved to be futile in the face of such a power?
At the same time as I was listening to the performance, in the South of England a very brave woman faced Death too –her life coming to its end prematurely like Mozarts. I had visited her the week before and had recognised the futility of all we humans can hope to do with our short lives – we can care, be successful, love, marry, have children, develop ourselves and so on. If we were to pick up a newspaper or watch television or overhear conversations on the train would we know of the struggles with death, which surrounds everyday life for some people? We might never realise the importance of the simple aspiration of dying well.
Instead I suppose it is easier to try and forget –it is the human way. The media knows what is important don’t they? ‘England wins the World Cup in Cricket’. ‘Greatest Tory/Lib/Dem Coalition in 70 years’. ‘Pound slumps to new low’. ‘Crisis on the world Stock Markets’.’ Sue Bo and the latest X Factor stars.’
Ann like Andy Ripley the England International Rugby star had a different approach –they lived well and choose to die well.
Andy Ripley wrote ‘Dying from cancer isn’t losing - it’s just dying from cancer. We all have to die of something at some time’
We can focus on the good things but at a time like this one is compelled to ask ‘what is the point??”
The Earth has been around for more than 4.6 billion years and recognisable humans for a mere 200,000 years –some would say that this is more like 15,000 years! But what is important is, that it isn’t a long time in the great scheme of things in our world.
So what can we do about it? As the man said, who thought about it long before me –there are only 2 things, which are sure in this life ‘death and taxes’
I have learned that it is important for us to Live well –doing what we can to the best of our ability, caring for others, making it easier for others and ourselves, enjoying what we have each day, loving, being happy. And then to be aware that we will inevitably be required to Die well too – planning, making it easier for others who are left behind, preparing ourselves for the journey which no one as yet has returned to tell us what to expect, leaving our little mark on the life we had and..…..
The question put to Andy Ripley is one so many who find themselves facing death are asked ‘What is the meaning of life?’
Paul Kimmage who, in one of the finest interviews ever written on this subject, explains to Andy ‘You asked me who I admired most in the world and I told you. And then you asked me if I had told that person and when I said no you said ‘You should tell him’, and I went home and wrote to him’
‘And what did he say?’ Andy asks
‘He didn’t say anything’. Paul replies ‘He didn’t need to.’
‘Yes, sometimes words are unnecessary. It’s called love, isn’t it?’
There are many like Ann, Amadeus and Andy who know about love and how much they are loved.
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