When I Die

Published March 17, 2008 | By Barbara Weibel

When I die, I want people to be happy. I want them to have a party and celebrate my life. I have done everything I ever wanted, and that’s good reason to celebrate.

When I die, I want to be cremated and have my ashes spread on the water in some lovely tropical location that has a healthy coral reef, so that I can spend eternity swimming amongst colorful reef fish, with sunlight filtering down through the crystal clear turquoise waters.

When I die, know that I will still be here in spirit, helping those whom I love and cherish. You need only think about me and I will be standing at your side.

When I die, I will take nothing with me, thus placing importance upon material things is shortsighted. Given a choice between being rich in material things but unhappy in life, or being poor but happy and in touch with my life’s purpose, I will take the latter every time.

When I die, should it be in an accident, please, let there be no lawsuits. Despite this country’s senseless attempt to ensure a life that is risk-free, life, by definition is risky. Accidents happen. Just let it be.

When I die, the only things that will remain of me are memories, so I try to live every day in non-judgmental, unconditional love and acceptance toward every human being with whom I have contact so that I will be remembered with love.

I have no fear of death. I know it will be like coming home. I know that what we call hell is really the life we live here on this earth.

Don’t write and ask me if I am dying, because I am quite healthy. Perhaps I am feeling this way because I have so completely changed my life over the past year and a half that it is like a death and a rebirth. Finally, I feel that I am on the right path, doing what I was destined to do. I am writing and it makes me joyful. Today I completed a 12-page freelance article for a fabulous Sarasota publication, Arts and Culture Magazine. People warned me it would be hard to break into the writing industry, but this is the third time I’ve been hired to write a freelance article since the beginning of the year. I’m not making a fortune, but I love every moment and I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity.