29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
As with everyone else in life, Isaac dies. What is amazing is that he accomplished something in his death that rarely happened during his lifetime. His two sons got along well enough that they worked together to bury him! This was a rare occasion for them. They had been feuding with each other since birth. They had spent years apart following one of their squabbles. When the reunion finally happened, one of them thought it was going to be his last day on earth. And now, they are able to come together and honor their father without a fight. I am not saying that the rest of their lives were filled with joint holiday celebrations, but at least they were capable of being in the same room together without killing each other. Some families have the greatest difficulty being together. They allow history to get in their way. They hold onto hurt feelings and old words. Often the only time they get together is when someone dies. That is just such a shame. If you have fractures in your family, may I suggest that you make the effort to mend them. It might take repeated attempts, and small ones at that, before any semblance of connection can happen, but at least try. Sometimes these patterns emerge over generations and stay entrenched for generations. You might be the one to begin making that small change that can heal a family. Esau and Jacob came together too late for his father to enjoy the benefit of their joint activity. I can imagine their father’s joy if they had been able to really heal the wounds before his death. Don’t let time keep passing by without reaching out to family.
The Arnold Journey 