All Nonfiction
- Bullying
- Books
- Academic
- Author Interviews
- Celebrity interviews
- College Articles
- College Essays
- Educator of the Year
- Heroes
- Interviews
- Memoir
- Personal Experience
- Sports
- Travel & Culture
All Opinions
- Bullying
- Current Events / Politics
- Discrimination
- Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
- Entertainment / Celebrities
- Environment
- Love / Relationships
- Movies / Music / TV
- Pop Culture / Trends
- School / College
- Social Issues / Civics
- Spirituality / Religion
- Sports / Hobbies
All Hot Topics
- Bullying
- Community Service
- Environment
- Health
- Letters to the Editor
- Pride & Prejudice
- What Matters
- Back
Summer Guide
- Program Links
- Program Reviews
- Back
College Guide
- College Links
- College Reviews
- College Essays
- College Articles
- Back
Death
On various occasions people would ask me if I was afraid of death. The first answer that comes to mind is, “Yes.” Isn’t everyone afraid of the unknown? The first day of preschool, as we clung helplessly to our parent’s legs. Crying and negotiating for the removal from the situation. Nothing could have stopped that fear. We didn’t know what to expect from school, as we do not know what to expect from death.
What could bring a person to say “no” to this divine question? Perhaps faith in their respective religion. This brings a completely new angle to the question. Does the true faith in a religion bring it to be true, or is there a religion that is the absolute truth? Most would argue there is one true religion, an absolute truth, that is the beacon of light in today’s society that is shrouded by sin and wickedness. Yet so many people could lack the fear of death, but believe in religions that differ from each other’s in the entirety.
Is death something to be feared or embraced? Some would scoff at the idea of embracing death. We have been told to “live life to the fullest” and when pushed to do new things, we “only live once.” If we embrace death, is that not suicide of the soul, are you then not just waiting for death? In that sense, life is death’s waiting room.
“Curiosity killed the cat.” Most people are curious to what lies after we die. Is it a place filled with gold lines streets, and an almighty creator? Or is it blackness, as our bodies were our last ties to thought, for we are gone? Perhaps curiosity didn’t kill the cat, maybe curiosity drove the cat to death.
If there is one thing that we are certain with life is, it is death. It is a sad and frightening truth. Just think, if you knew you were going to go somewhere on Saturday, yet you didn’t know where or what would happen, would you not be utterly terrified? Within our life, we have become satisfied in a part that we will die. Yet, most of us strive for that absolute truth.
If death is certain, maybe we should not fear it. We should view it as the long awaited journey that could end in a variety of ways. For isn’t life a pick-your-own-ending adventure?
Similar Articles
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This article has 8 comments.
According to my beliefs, there is no reason to fear death. But there come many moments when a fear wells up inside me unexpectantly about it. I'm not afraid of being condemned to hell or anything like that. I just fear the possibility of a nothingness after life.
But when I am in my 'faithful mood,' I have chosen to believe that death is far less simple than people think. I doubt that the streets of heaven are paved with gold and riches. I don't believe in a hell filled with demons and torture. I think that death is a journey.
This article was very insightful. Your description of your point of view on death was very clear. I agree that we should spend our life fearing death.
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments
Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)
"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson
"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran
Sometimes, I feel that there is no reason to be afraid of death. Others, a certain fear of it wells up inside me until all I can do is be nervous about it. I'm not afraid of being condemned to hell or anything, but of the nothingness that might come after life.
But when I'm in my "faithful mood," I believe that death should neither be feared nor anticipated. It is probably far more complex than people imagine. I doubt that heaven is paved with riches nor that there is a hell filled with demons and pain.
This article was very insightful and you clearly wrote your thoughts. I agree that no matter what's after life, time can't be wasted by fearing it.