Life has an expiration date. Like the side of your prescription bottle, beyond a certain time, there are no refills. So what are we going to do about it?

Parents, families, doctors and health personnel may all be hesitant to talk about death and dying. No one wants to upset their affected loved ones. It makes people uncomfortable talking about death.

We all know someday life will end. Not thinking about it isn't going to change things.

So what are we going to do about it? No matter what age, we must  take charge of our quality of living and do all the good things that will give us all the joy and good health that is available. Take care of yourself, enjoy others, do the good things you've been putting off and share your good fortune with others.

A positive attitude is ever important.

But there is more. Before your transition into a better world, it would do you well to consider things that would continue to go on after you are gone. If you're young and have children, designate someone who will parent your children.  Choose well and put it in writing. Children are smarter than we often think. Letting them know that if something should happen there is someone they can depend on is not a bad thing.

For that matter, you need a responsible friend you can assign the job of making your wishes come true in the event you can no longer speak, think or plan for yourself. It is good to talk about it early, before it is needed.

Then there are medical things to consider, like if you want hospital care or not. Would you want a feeding tube to prolong life? What would be your wishes for resuscitation?

Needless to say, you need to take care of financial and estate concerns by completing a will and designating a power of attorney, should the need come.  You must also remember to update these wishes if time changes things.

Are we able to calculate how many years we have left in our lives? Not usually, though there are some clues that can give you an idea. Granted, a healthy, young individual may not foresee being hit by a truck. But common sense tells us if one is 90 or 110, each day may be an experience.

Learn about hospice with people who have someone in hospice. Is it for you or not? People differ, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Talk to your minister or a counselor.  Keep your mind at peace by thinking peacefully of others.

Listening to people who have had a near death experience should wow us. The description of this beautiful experience should erase all fear of death or just allow us to leave in comfort, peace and acceptance.

My Great Grandpa Christensen’s reply to us when we said, "Grandpa you'll live to be a hundred," was, "Don't wish that on anyone." We would retort, "Grandpa, you're healthy, in a good mind and we all love you." He would say, "Yes, but when you no longer have any real purpose in life, what is the point!" There are old people and then there are old people. Each has a right to be here, but like Grandpa said sometimes, "What's the point?"

We only have one life. Make the most of it, enjoying each day to the fullest. Be good, be kind, be loving.

Aging is a privilege, it is not a birthright.

Heaven has to be a restful, peaceful place.

In God we trust.

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that they like to read about the local happenings and family events such as family and school reunions, birthday and anniversary celebrations and birth and wedding announcements.

In order to read about these important things, we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us, so we can then pass along the news to you. If you have news to share, please contact me or the Star Eagle office at 507-463-8112.

Also, if our NRHEG Star Eagle readers would like to share birthdays and anniversaries of your family and friends, or you know of some that should be deleted, or names have changed, please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

Birthdays and anniversaries this week:

• Thursday, March 24th: Gail Ottesen, Seth Chad Staloch, Dave Meixner, Kurt Hanson, Laurie Phagan, Lucetta Kermes, Wes & Ruth Neidermeier, Angie & Cory Klemmensen, Tony & Sandra Tonsing, Lonna & Dean Broitzman

• Friday, March 25th: Brad Hagen, Michelle Ritz, Pam Anderson, Faith Jensen, Tom Marlin, Trevor Loverink, Bernice Farr Mattson

• Saturday, March 26th: Nikita Zelpha Peterson, Jackie Draayer, David Hanson, Ray Coxworth, Lonnie Misgen, Ginger Cornelius, Dillon Hanson, Daryl Jensen, Duane Morreim, Amy Dobberstein, Marge Wobschall, Mary Lou Spurr, Gerrit & Jean Molenaar, Jeff & Robin Christensen, Jennifer & Matthew Dinneen

• Sunday, March 27th: Kim Weckwerth Farr, Jim Ottesen, Verona Winegar, Tom Lund, Tina Jensen Wangen, Jodi Loverink, Neil Born, Ralph Randall, Todd & Sheri Utpadel

• Monday, March 28th: Jordan Brye Wagner, Katie Ann Lee, her 8th; Daryl Van Ravenhorst, Alan Olson, Paul Marlin, Josh Stevens, Daniel Suleter, Richard & Lisa (Long) Hocking

• Tuesday, March 29th: Taran Waalkens, Heather Lyn Shearman, her 7th; Dylan Lee Ingvaldson, his 6th, Becky Johnson, Amanda Bergerson, Judy Strenge, Dorene Richards, Bruce Jensen, Linda Seykora

• Wednesday, March 30th: Leah Brittan Moststad, Gretchen Jensen Ray, Darrell Hanson, Kim Roberts Sletten, Aiden Michael Berg, his 6th, Matthew Cornelius, Fern Robertson Sommers

• Thursday, March 31st: Jinny Nielsen, Hannah Haroldson, Melissa Collins, Carson LaShawn Ray, his 5th; Jill Anderson, David Hemingway, Ross Johnson, Shane Johnson, Doug Hunt, Mike Misgen, Joanne Neuhart. Mollee & Joseph Tscholl, their 4th

• Friday, April 1st: April Fools Day!  Madison Hanson, Irene Paulson

It is your special day...get carried away!