Tuck Everlasting

If you had to opportunity to live forever, would you take it?  In light of the fact that every day more and more people are dying around the world from Covid -19, it seems odd that I should pick up a book that challenges my beliefs regarding life and death.

Stop for a moment and ask yourself: is it better to live a long life that cannot end, or is it better to end a life that you have fully lived?

It's a tough one, no?  I'm sure that there are many people in the world right now that would gladly take immortality as they face the fear of death (in general) but especially from Covid-19.

In Natalie Babbit's novel Tuck Everlasting, we are faced with this very question.  I actually grabbed the audio version of this book in a frantic haze just before March Break started.  When I heard that my local community center and precious library were going to be shutting down to "flatten the curve" in my community I figured we'd never last a day at home shut out from the world without a few books and movies.

So off I went with my library card in hand and one hour to get enough to occupy my family and I for the next several weeks.

But when I brought the selection of books and movies home, my youngest daughter took one look at the books and wrinkled her nose.  She said that she simply wasn't interested (and here I thought we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover).

I had heard about Tuck Everlasting as a classic novel and knew that it had been adapted into movies and as stage productions.  Figuring that it had to have some merit to be nominated for so many awards, I thought I'd give it a go and then see if I could truly recommend the book to my daughter.

As it turns out, the book became more than a simple recommendation for a 10 year old.  It honestly got me thinking about so much more.

Every time I tune into the news or read the latest chat room gossip it's all about Covid-19 and the turmoil that we're facing globally.

So when I began the book and quickly discovered that it was a book about immortality it got me thinking that there are millions of people out there right at this exact moment who would love to have the Tuck's secret weapon of immortality to keep themselves alive during this trying time.

Or, would they?

You see, as you read this book you begin to realize that immortality is not as appealing as it first seems.  Granted, to never get sick or age sounds quite pleasant doesn't it?  But in the end as is explained by Angus Tuck, he and his family cannot live life to the fullest because without death they aren't truly part of the circle of life.

He argues that without death there is no life.  You are merely a "rock stuck at the side of a stream."

I most certainly do not wish anyone to become infected or die from Covid-19 but I do see the benefit in us all going through this ordeal.  As we all wrack our brains to stay safe and socially distance ourselves hasn't it given us the opportunity to stop and reflect on what matters most?

Hasn't it given you the opportunity to clean out that closet that's be plaguing you for months?

Hasn't it forced you to reach out to the people you love the most to connect and take good care of them?

Hasn't it given you a chance to slow down and do things that matter to you with more care?

As I've said before, people and how we treat one another, are what matters the most in life (the rest is all bull shit).  For those of us who are not essential services and are not allowed to go into work due to government interventions, rather than rant and rave about how bored you are, look at what you are doing with your life.  You're alive!  How do you plan on spending your time on this earth?  Knowing that a virus can spread and attack the entire human race makes you realize how very fragile it all is.

This time of social distancing is ironically allowing us to find a way to get closer to those and that which matters most. Take the time to take care of yourself, your loved ones, your home, your neighborhood and this earth because although it seems like we are on this earth for a lifetime, it is not an everlasting ride.

Seize the day and the many more to come: get creative, try something new, and finish something that needs finishing.

It might feel like being tucked away in our homes is never ending but this too shall pass.  Life your life to the fullest.