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Like it or not, we get lulled into trance during our everyday lives. It's an easy way to get through the day... or a life. Complacency is the offspring of trance: How good it feels to sit in front of the tv, shop for a new pair of pants or shoes, or play with the latest apps on the iPhone.

Death is the definitive antidote to trance and complacency. Some welcome the loud rap at the door of time, even though it wakes one up with a jolt. Oh, you mean my time here is limited? I forgot. Mindfulness teacher Joseph Goldstein said that being human is a precious incarnation. If you're awake, that is.

deathbed window
a white butterfly
wanders past