13th-century mummy of
a Peruvian adult female

Today my wife, Pat, and I went to see a “Mummies of the World” exhibition at the Milwaukee Public Museum. I was the one that really wanted to go since I remembered being fascinated as a child by the one Mummy at the old museum.

Some of the mummies were naturally mummified by the climate around them and some, like the ones from Egypt, were preserved by human means.

The mummies from Egypt were kept so the body and spirit could exist in the after world. As Christians we believe our bodies will rise to unite with our spirit but in the ancient culture of Egypt they felt they needed to make this happen by preserving the body.

Seeing mummies this afternoon gave my sense of death a lift, believe it or not. However, upon coming home I received the news that the husband of a friend had died today. I did not know him well and just about a week and half ago heard he had broken his hip. When elderly people break hips, I understand, it shortens their life expectancy. But no one thought it would be so short for my friend’s husband. This sad news brought me back to the reality of life, that dying is necessary to live.

Last night’s posting when talking about my experience in El Salvador in the post Oscar Romero Lives. I noticed that in the beginning of my diary notes about my experience in El Salvador, I had written this poem. I repeat it tonight in tribute to my friend’s husband and to the lesson the mummies remind us about life and death.

The descent into Depression
Is full of fear
Of what may be or not be.
The Darkness is deep
Except for the light,
Dim and distance.
Yet we must walk toward it,
Because without the light at the end,
There is nothing.

May Jim rest in peace and all of us find new life in death.

Comments

(:commentboxchrono:)