Thoughts on Death

[FAX]

Interesting questions, Mr. Jenson71. Are you studying to become a serial killer, or something?

Personally, I am very comfortable with the idea of death. Much more so than with the idea of growing old and physically unable to easily function. I never expected to live past 25, so if I were to pass on today, I would be ready. In fact, our family was discussing this issue one day and I told my sister-in-law that I was fully prepared and ready and she said, "You're more full of shit than my first husband." ... a response which, even today, I proudly categorize as the greatest insult I've ever received. Nevertheless, it's true. There's a part of me that's actually eager to find out what's on the other side.

As for the mystery, I do believe in some form of "afterlife". I'm not sure what it is, but we are part physical matter, part energy, and part something else ... spirit of some kind. I don't believe that spirit dies as the body does. It's probably like water ... we evaporate and rise to join other water molecules only to regenerate and fall back into another reality once again.

As for funerals, the best ones I've attended involve lots of drinking and music. My preference for physical disposal would be to take my remains to the top of a hill, place them on a 200 pound pile of dynamite, and light the fuse. Were I to inadvertently splatter a few people I know, all the better.

FAX

[JohninGpt]

Originally Posted by FAX

Interesting questions, Mr. Jenson71. Are you studying to become a serial killer, or something?

Personally, I am very comfortable with the idea of death. Much more so than with the idea of growing old and physically unable to easily function. I never expected to live past 25, so if I were to pass on today, I would be ready. In fact, our family was discussing this issue one day and I told my sister-in-law that I was fully prepared and ready and she said, "You're more full of shit than my first husband." ... a response which, even today, I proudly categorize as the greatest insult I've ever received. Nevertheless, it's true. There's a part of me that's actually eager to find out what's on the other side.

As for the mystery, I do believe in some form of "afterlife". I'm not sure what it is, but we are part physical matter, part energy, and part something else ... spirit of some kind. I don't believe that spirit dies as the body does. It's probably like water ... we evaporate and rise to join other water molecules only to regenerate and fall back into another reality once again.

As for funerals, the best ones I've attended involve lots of drinking and music. My preference for physical disposal would be to take my remains to the top of a hill, place them on a 200 pound pile of dynamite, and light the fuse. Were I to inadvertently splatter a few people I know, all the better.

FAX

That's a wonderful outlook Mr. FAX.
All I know is that I was a hair's breadth from kicking the bucket for an extended period of time, and honestly, I've never felt so alone in my life. People talk about family staying with you until the end, well it's a great thought, but when you die, you do it alone, it's an awful thing to contemplate, especially when you've been lead to believe it's imminent.

Edit: That's a big downer, I'm doing fine these days.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by JohninGpt

That's a wonderful outlook Mr. FAX.
All I know is that I was a hair's breadth from kicking the bucket for an extended period of time, and honestly, I've never felt so alone in my life. People talk about family staying with you until the end, well it's a great thought, but when you die, you do it alone, it's an awful thing to contemplate, especially when you've been lead to believe it's imminent.

I've shared a similar experience, Mr. JohninGpt. The experience fostered a heightened interest in philosophy, that's for sure. And, I think it was Nietzsche who said that, "Beware of saying that death is the opposite of life. Living beings are only a species of the dead, and a very rare species." ... or words to that effect. Of course, Nietzsche was a nut case, so we have to take that into account.

The point is that we begin to die the very moment we are born. The inevitability and our efforts to avoid it at all cost are both merely aspects of life itself ... and both give rise to our most basic instincts as living beings. I understand the fear associated with the prospect of death (followed typically by mute acceptance). But surely, since it's our certain and sure destiny, why not approach it like everything else? With curiosity and courage? The fact is that we all merely borrowed time and life must ultimately be returned to its rightful owner. I'd like to think that I'll return it with a happy heart and with gratitude for the loan.

Otherwise, who knows? Maybe you could wind up as some kind of mid-ether residing poltergeist, a non-entity wandering the streets in ghostly form, unable to either transcend, or pass into the light, or return to a natural existence, ever seeking and scavenging some unknowable state of reality, and eternally haunting the back alleys and cab stands to scare the beejesus out of the poor, innocent people walking out of bars and restaurants ... on second thought, that last part sounds kind of good, too.

FAX