October: Awareness Month

This morning while driving to work, I was made aware (by a story of a woman being charged with domestic violence for throwing muffins at her husband) that this month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As any follower of football has noticed, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My priest has told us that October is the Month of the Rosary. Searching in wikipedia also reveals that October is National Pork Month, Fair Trade Month, Dwarfism Awareness, Pregnancy Loss and Infant Loss Awareness, and many others. This is apparently the month for being aware of... well, everything.

I became painfully aware of how fragile these vessels of our spirit are by the news that one of my sister's friends had died today. A letter from Benjamin Franklin to his young stepdaughter after the death of her father sums up what we should be most aware of at all times.

DEAR CHILD, PHILADELPHIA, February 22, 1756.

I condole with you, we have lost a most dear and valuable relation, but it is the will of God and Nature that these mortal bodies be laid aside, when the soul is to enter into real life; 'tis rather an embrio state, a preparation for living; a man is not completely born until he be dead: Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals? A new member added to their happy society? We are spirits. That bodies should be lent us, while they can afford us pleasure, assist us in acquiring knowledge, or doing good to our fellow creatures, is a kind and benevolent act of God -- when they become unfit for these purposes and afford us pain instead of pleasure -- instead of an aid, become an incumbrance and answer none of the intentions for which they were given, it is equally kind and benevolent that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. We ourselves prudently choose a partial death. In some cases a mangled painful limb, which cannot be restored, we willingly cut off -- He who plucks out a tooth, parts with it freely since the pain goes with it, and he that quits the whole body, parts at once with all pains and possibilities of pains and diseases it was liable to, or capable of making him suffer.

Our friend and we are invited abroad on a party of pleasure -- that is to last forever -- His chair was first ready and he is gone before us -- we could not all conveniently start together, and why should you and I be grieved at this, since we are soon to follow, and we know where to find him. Adieu,

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen