I wrote this way back when and found it stored away. Since it is timeless, I wanted to push it to the digital sphere for posterity.

December 14, 1992

Death called my name, and I answered.

I said, “Hey, Death, what can I do for you?”

Death replied, “I want you to come with me on a journey. You won’t
need anything since you won’t be coming back.”

I told him, “Are you trying to say it is time for me to die?”

“Yes,” Death said, “You’re time is up on this world, the Fates have
cut your thread, and I must take you now.”

“But, I have so much to do, so much that is left undone, unspoken.
I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to friends or say ‘I love you’
to the people I care about. Please let me do this first.”

“I’m sorry, there is no time left,” Death sorrowfully said.

Death and I departed silently from the world of the living and into
the realm of the dead. Death left me there and came back to this
world to claim another. While there, Death did something he had
never been known to do, he cried.

“Why do you cry so,” asked Fate.

“That last person showed me something. He asked to say goodbye to
friends and say ‘I love you’ to loved ones.”

“But don’t they all ask that,” asked Fate.

“That’s the point! They never get to say their goodbyes.”

“Well,” said Fate, “I will let one thread stay a little longer. Ask
this person to say goodbye to this person’s friends and loved ones.
Go now.”

“Thank you Fate,” said Death, “I won’t forget this.”

Death went back to earth to claim another life.

“Person, it is almost time for me to take you away. Tell your
goodbyes to your friends and loved ones, and I will be back for
you,” said Death.

“Thank you anyway, but it wouldn’t be right for me to say my
goodbyes.”

“Why is that?”

“I’ve been looking forward to death for a long time. People should
learn to say their goodbyes to their friends and loved ones before
you come for them.”

“You are wise for a person. Very well, let’s go then.”

Death took the person to the realm of the dead and went back to see
Fate.

Fate asked, “Do you understand now?”

“Yes,” said Death, “I do. A person must continue to love loved
ones, and continue to be a friends always. And when I come for
them, there will be no anger or sorrow that they couldn’t do these
things for they have had a whole life.”

-by Nirav Chaudhari