Death \"Somebody Should Tell Us,

Death

"Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows." - Pope Paul VI, Italian pope, 1897-1978 ("Quotes")

There is only one thing that is certain in life -- death. It is both the most common event in life and the most mysterious. Religions often not only center on the living, but also life after death. However, despite it happening all around us, death is also one the scariest things. This is primarily because of the unknown. Even though I, like many other people, believe in some form of life after death, there is still some small amount of uncertainty. There is some tiny worry that Heaven, reincarnation, and the soul are all just inventions of Man, to make us feel more secure, much like ancient cultures created a variety of rituals to help feel like they were in control of the sun rising or the seasons changing.

Even science puts niggling doubts in our minds about life after death. The white light some report seeing just before death, that has traditionally been related to an entrance to the realm after death, may be a burst of brain activity. This surge of electrical energy happens as the brain runs out of oxygen, due to the decrease in blood flow ("White Light"). Could the spiritual experience related by those who have had a near-death experience simply be a physiological response to the brain making one last grasp at life? These questions are not only the cause for some anxiety concerning death, but they also reinforce the importance of life for me.

I suppose if we were all 100% certain that there was some form of life after death, we may live our lives differently. Perhaps we wouldn't be as worried about death, as it would simply be like going on to the next adventure, for us. We, as a society, would likely be more reckless in our actions, knowing that if the worst were to happen, we would just be moving on. We would also likely more conscientious of our actions here on Earth. Although most people have their actions tempered by some sort of belief system, if we knew for certain that our actions here would definitely affect our next lives, we would be even more apt to be better people. Grieving over lost loved ones wouldn't be as intense, it would be more like saying good bye to a loved one that you know you'll be seeing each other soon, rather than the thought that you may never be able to see them again.

Instead, with the uncertainty, each moment of life, for me, is precious. The self-inventory really brought this point home to me. This was especially true with the question regarding the 82-year-old, Alzheimer's patient who was internally bleeding, potentially fatally, and the level of care I would hope they received. I selected "An all-out attempt at rescue." Life, at any age, and no matter what disease the individual has, is a gift. Who should have the right to cut a person's life short, to judge its quality lacking? If there were no life after death, how cruel is it to snuff out a person's existence.