Good Grief

Lauren London once said, "Grief is the final act of love" while referring to her slain soul mate Nipsey Hussle. It was a beautiful sentiment that provided us with the positive mindset of the actress. Lauren understands that everything in this world is borrowed, including the people we love. Ms. London’s positive energy reminded us that we have to respect the rules of the universe because the house (universe) always wins.

Earlier this week, I overheard dialog from a television show, some of the conversation that caught my attention went as follows:

Character 1: “How do you know when you are done grieving?”

Character 2: “When the memory of someone brings you peace instead of pain.”

(I felt that)

As an adolescent, I felt invincible. I had no concern with how I would spend my final moments. It wasn't important. I knew I was living my best life at the moment and anything that didn't coincide with the idea of childhood happiness was irrelevant. However, the older I became, the more aware I also became of my mortality. It is hard for some of us to accept dying as the final stage of life. However, we are dying from the moment we are born. Some may even say, “We are born to die.” I personally believe we are born to share energy that will help evolve us as a people, but what do I know?

In America, we view death as a sad ending because it is permanent and irreversible. In other countries, death is honorable because your tour of duty has been fulfilled. You have been chosen to transition from mortal to ancestor and what you have accomplished in this life will be forever memorialized. It is the beginning of a new stage. Can the butterfly achieve a complete metamorphosis without shedding the cocoon? This life is only your cocoon.

Those who understand how much of a blessing it was to know you will cry tears of joy because they will miss you. Those like Lauren London who understand how the honor of knowing someone pales in comparison to the honor he or she will receive once he or she’ve transitioned to their new home, well, that is just another level of selfless love that many of us will never understand.

Long live Nip Hussle.