There's a common practice in Judaism that believers are buried with their feet facing the entrance of the cemetery. This thought is when the Savior returns, their body will be resurrected and they will be ready to head back to Israel, the Promised Land. In the vicinity of Israel, tombs are aligned in the same way to face a certain direction in hopes of being first in line.
I've heard of exercises deemed as healthy to write your own eulogy at a young, healthy age. This practice will bring to the surface what core values you want to portray. You also can get credits in college for courses where part of your grade includes designing your own will. Boyscout mentality eh? Always be prepared.
I'd say 99% of my friends I would speak nothing but high regards for when asked to describe them. But I have a handful of friends I constantly find myself saying "He's a great guy but on occasion lacks bedside manner." This, of course, referring to their abrasiveness in certain social situations.
Logistically, I'm not in the parenting world yet, but as an award-winning uncle, I've developed a couple of humble opinions about what is important to teach your children. The two common denominators I've found that pay off are: 1. Self Awareness 2. The ability to make friends quickly. Now there is a multitude of equations and variables that can lead someone astray in their career as a human, but I believe with a foundation of those two lessons, you're setting your brood up for an easier time on earth.
One of the biggest fears we face is loneliness. It's up there with public speaking, death, and clowns. We're built for community and companionship. Heck, the fear of loneliness combined with love is what keeps this hominid thing going.
How we process loneliness is what I believe is evolving. A while back, I developed this bad habit of when I found myself lonely or bored, I would pick up my phone to subdue the feeling. Whether it was a social media or my email, it made that empty feeling go away. Short term band-aid.
These days when I get lonely, I face the isolated emotion head on and force my brain to tackle it. Subconsciously, it forces my thoughts to process it and move on instead of filling the void with a newsfeed or profile. Disclaimer: I don't hate social media. I think Netflix and Instagram are great to give your thoughts a break. I just don't condone making it a habit every time you stop at a stop light. Force your intellect.
To circle back from a tangent, being lonely is normal. Friends and loved ones help prevent the feeling. How to make friends: work on your bedside manner. It's not just for doctors and nurses, it's how you treat strangers and peers. Love on people.
Because when we have the people we love at our bedside, we're going to wish we had our own bedside manner throughout our tenure on this big blue and green globe. Yep.
New in my life: JOMO (Joy of missing out) was an acronym built for me. There's always a reason to grow the mustache. October or bust.
Keep smilin'
JM
