Indeed, we are forever changed by death. My father has been gone for over 17 years, but I dreamt about him last night. Weird.

And the death of my dear friend, Ann, last May is still a fresh wound in my soul. I miss her so much and have moments where I am overcome with disbelief and longing.

Ugh.

I believe, too, that we are affected by the deaths of those we never knew. After the tsunami a couple of years ago, I couldn’t breathe for about a month. From an energy standpoint – and because we’re all connected – it is impossible to have over 200,000 souls leave the planet and not have a seismic shift take place.

And yet, death, being something we all experience connects us in a unique way. We are bonded together in a club no one wants to belong to. Our membership has a high price. But it’s our common denominator and, if we’re lucky, we can gain support and understanding from other members of the club.