afraid to die?

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

I do know that I want a lot of laughter at my funeral. No sadness. Well, maybe a little. I also want HTTR played at some point during the service.

Nice. I've said the same thing before, and that's why I love the idea of an Irish wake. You should be celebrating the person's life instead of just mourning their lose (with due respect, of course).

my dad has joked in the past that when he goes he wants to be stuffed, dressed in a tux with a martini in one hand and a cigar in the other and he wants us to have a huge party. That's a little morbid, but I get what he's saying.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

Nice. I've said the same thing before, and that's why I love the idea of an Irish wake. You should be celebrating the person's life instead of just mourning their lose (with due respect, of course).

my dad has joked in the past that when he goes he wants to be stuffed, dressed in a tux with a martini in one hand and a cigar in the other and he wants us to have a huge party. That's a little morbid, but I get what he's saying.

I agree, it's good to celebrate the person's life. I think it's asking too much to ask people not to mourn, because if they loved you they're going to miss you. But they should feel comfortable laughing about the funny things you used to do in addition to crying about missing you. I hate when people feel like they're supposed to be solemn 100% of the time at a funeral; I want people to cry if they feel like crying at my death, but if they feel like laughing, then I want them to laugh.

The important thing is that the person be remembered. So tell funny stories and laugh, but also cry at the love you lost. Make sure you're remembering all that which makes you laugh and all that which makes you sad that they're gone. That way you're sure to remember the person's entire life, not just the part you want to think about.

[RobH4413]

I'd prefer to be just sucked into one of the engines, end it quick.

[RobH4413]

I've heard actually that as you die, all the cells in your body start to release every endorphin and you feel total bliss. Every nerve fires, and a sense of euphoria is experienced.

Those that have near death experiences report "seeing a light". This is probably a result of your optical nerve firing off from the excessive dopamine and other chemicals.

Ultimately, death at the very end is a very pleasant euphoric experience.

When I first learned about this I didn't think much about it, and then it hit me. What could possible be to gain evolutionarily for having a pleasant death. Your not around to tell other about it and reduce fear to other people. It doesn't get passed down. It has nothing to do with survival of the fit. It's just some random thing that happens...

Kind of cool.

[BigSKINBauer]

Originally Posted by RobH4413

I've heard actually that as you die, all the cells in your body start to release every endorphin and you feel total bliss. Every nerve fires, and a sense of euphoria is experienced.

Those that have near death experiences report "seeing a light". This is probably a result of your optical nerve firing off from the excessive dopamine and other chemicals.

Ultimately, death at the very end is a very pleasant euphoric experience.

When I first learned about this I didn't think much about it, and then it hit me. What could possible be to gain evolutionarily for having a pleasant death. Your not around to tell other about it and reduce fear to other people. It doesn't get passed down. It has nothing to do with survival of the fit. It's just some random thing that happens...

Kind of cool.

Well, you're right that it doesn't really have an evolutionary benefit, so it makes you wonder... Is it just a type of Mercy that is given to us from god? If death is a euphoric experience it seems like a big coincidence. It could just as easily be the exact opposite and be the most dreadful thing ever going on in your head.

[GMScud]

I am terrified of death. I've lost several people close to me from various reasons- killed by a drunk driver, cancer, suicide (the worst)... Funerals never get easier to go to. But I suppose as you age your perspective on death changes. As life moves on and you gradually achieve your goals, I would hope a sense of satisfaction continually grows inside. Personally, if I fall terminally ill in my 70's or 80's, it will be easier to accept if I can look back on a happy family (wife, kids, grandkids), a productive career, and a good, honest life with plenty of joy in it, then I will probably be at peace. I can think of nothing worse than being diagnosed with something terminal at a young age and knowing you'll never have a chance to experience some of the great joys in this world.

Be healthy everyone!

Man, this thread is pretty morbid...

[love them hogs]

I feel like i have come to grips with my own mortality a long time ago.Ever since I started high school someone close to me has died or been murdered.It felt like every year I had to go to one or two funerals and it just numbed me to it I guess.It went on for about four or five years and then just stopped.


I have learned that there is truly only one thing in life that is for sure , and that is that one day you and me will be dead.So you better make sure that all the people in your life know how much you love them everyday.Not just when you get around to it,everyday.

On a related note, how do you guys feel about viewings?Personally I dont want everyones last image of me to be my body in a casket.Everytime I think of the people I have lost in my life,no matter what memory I recall of them, the image of them dead in thier casket inevitably comes.I just dont want to be remembered like that.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by love them hogs

On a related note, how do you guys feel about viewings?Personally I dont want everyones last image of me to be my body in a casket.Everytime I think of the people I have lost in my life,no matter what memory I recall of them, the image of them dead in thier casket inevitably comes.I just dont want to be remembered like that.

I HATE them. I would hate to have a bunch of people gawking at my corpse, with that stage makeup on.
That's one part of the grieving process that I don't really understand.

[jsarno]

Well, am I afraid to die, no. Am I ready to die, absolutely not. I have not acheived enough to be considered a successful life. I firmly believe that there is a heaven, therefore I am not afraid of going to a better place.

The ignorance of death is unsettling though. Whatever our endevours, we know where we're going and where we've been (for the most part), in death, we don't have ANY clue. Will I be there with my dogs? Will my friends be there? Will it be a heaven for everyone, or will it be individualized for me? Will I still enjoy the simpler things in life, like watching the Skins beat the Cowboys, or will it be an entirely different life? It is natural to fear what you do not know. I have worked on myself to not fear it, but be more accepting. No matter what, we all have 1 thing in common, we will all die. It's a part of life. I accept this fact...I had 17 friends die in between my junior and senior year in high school. If I had to guess, I'd say I've been to about 40-50 funerals in my life. This helps me to understand death better, and I beleive that life tries to shelter you from death. It's GOING to happen. Sometimes it's not fair...in fact, a lot of times it's not fair. That's why you live life to the fullest when you can. I refuse to be 60 years old and look back and say "I wish I...." This is why I vacation someplace I have NEVER been at least once a year. Last year we went to St. Thomas / Nassau Bahamas / St. Maarten, we went to Cozumel / GeorgeTown Grand Cayman / Jamaica / and Labadee this year, and next year, we're going to Hawaii. I've been to all but 9 states, and I am determined to go to all 50 before I die, and visit as many countries as possible (I've only visited 9 at this point). I don't want to have any regrets. I've tried all sorts of things...stupid or not. I ride motorcycles, I raced ATV's, I've bungee jumped, I have sky dived, I have swam with Dolphins, I have swam and fed sting rays, I have swam with wild giant turtles, I have tamed class 4 rapids, I have climbed mountains, I have skiied where no man should have, I have braved a hurricane (Ok, it was dumb, but I got stuck in hurricane Charley in N. Fort Myers), I have been at baseball's biggest parade (2004 red sox world series championship parade), I have gotten alcohol poisoning (that hurt), I have broken approximately 50 bones in my life, I have driven a vehicle to 175MPH, I have ice skated in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, and I have loved with all my heart and with no safety net. I purposely live life with no regrets, and if I die trying something, at least I tried it. Life is too short to live in fear, life is meant to be lived.
Sorry to ramble...point is, we live our lives trying not to get hurt, or in some sort of fear in the hopes that we will live a year longer. Well, I'd rather try everything I could, and live life and miss out on 5 years of life than to live a boring meaningless life. I don't fear death, cause there is nothing to fear. I love this expression "the only thing to fear is fear itself". It's so true.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Well, am I afraid to die, no. Am I ready to die, absolutely not. I have not acheived enough to be considered a successful life. I firmly believe that there is a heaven, therefore I am not afraid of going to a better place.

The ignorance of death is unsettling though. Whatever our endevours, we know where we're going and where we've been (for the most part), in death, we don't have ANY clue. Will I be there with my dogs? Will my friends be there? Will it be a heaven for everyone, or will it be individualized for me? Will I still enjoy the simpler things in life, like watching the Skins beat the Cowboys, or will it be an entirely different life? It is natural to fear what you do not know. I have worked on myself to not fear it, but be more accepting. No matter what, we all have 1 thing in common, we will all die. It's a part of life. I accept this fact...I had 17 friends die in between my junior and senior year in high school. If I had to guess, I'd say I've been to about 40-50 funerals in my life. This helps me to understand death better, and I beleive that life tries to shelter you from death. It's GOING to happen. Sometimes it's not fair...in fact, a lot of times it's not fair. That's why you live life to the fullest when you can. I refuse to be 60 years old and look back and say "I wish I...." This is why I vacation someplace I have NEVER been at least once a year. Last year we went to St. Thomas / Nassau Bahamas / St. Maarten, we went to Cozumel / GeorgeTown Grand Cayman / Jamaica / and Labadee this year, and next year, we're going to Hawaii. I've been to all but 9 states, and I am determined to go to all 50 before I die, and visit as many countries as possible (I've only visited 9 at this point). I don't want to have any regrets. I've tried all sorts of things...stupid or not. I ride motorcycles, I raced ATV's, I've bungee jumped, I have sky dived, I have swam with Dolphins, I have swam and fed sting rays, I have swam with wild giant turtles, I have tamed class 4 rapids, I have climbed mountains, I have skiied where no man should have, I have braved a hurricane (Ok, it was dumb, but I got stuck in hurricane Charley in N. Fort Myers), I have been at baseball's biggest parade (2004 red sox world series championship parade), I have gotten alcohol poisoning (that hurt), I have broken approximately 50 bones in my life, I have driven a vehicle to 175MPH, I have ice skated in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, and I have loved with all my heart and with no safety net. I purposely live life with no regrets, and if I die trying something, at least I tried it. Life is too short to live in fear, life is meant to be lived.
Sorry to ramble...point is, we live our lives trying not to get hurt, or in some sort of fear in the hopes that we will live a year longer. Well, I'd rather try everything I could, and live life and miss out on 5 years of life than to live a boring meaningless life. I don't fear death, cause there is nothing to fear. I love this expression "the only thing to fear is fear itself". It's so true.

I share your Outlook on life, I just wasn't going to write it like you did. Good Post.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Well, am I afraid to die, no. Am I ready to die, absolutely not. I have not acheived enough to be considered a successful life. I firmly believe that there is a heaven, therefore I am not afraid of going to a better place.

The ignorance of death is unsettling though. Whatever our endevours, we know where we're going and where we've been (for the most part), in death, we don't have ANY clue. Will I be there with my dogs? Will my friends be there? Will it be a heaven for everyone, or will it be individualized for me? Will I still enjoy the simpler things in life, like watching the Skins beat the Cowboys, or will it be an entirely different life? It is natural to fear what you do not know. I have worked on myself to not fear it, but be more accepting. No matter what, we all have 1 thing in common, we will all die. It's a part of life. I accept this fact...I had 17 friends die in between my junior and senior year in high school. If I had to guess, I'd say I've been to about 40-50 funerals in my life. This helps me to understand death better, and I beleive that life tries to shelter you from death. It's GOING to happen. Sometimes it's not fair...in fact, a lot of times it's not fair. That's why you live life to the fullest when you can. I refuse to be 60 years old and look back and say "I wish I...." This is why I vacation someplace I have NEVER been at least once a year. Last year we went to St. Thomas / Nassau Bahamas / St. Maarten, we went to Cozumel / GeorgeTown Grand Cayman / Jamaica / and Labadee this year, and next year, we're going to Hawaii. I've been to all but 9 states, and I am determined to go to all 50 before I die, and visit as many countries as possible (I've only visited 9 at this point). I don't want to have any regrets. I've tried all sorts of things...stupid or not. I ride motorcycles, I raced ATV's, I've bungee jumped, I have sky dived, I have swam with Dolphins, I have swam and fed sting rays, I have swam with wild giant turtles, I have tamed class 4 rapids, I have climbed mountains, I have skiied where no man should have, I have braved a hurricane (Ok, it was dumb, but I got stuck in hurricane Charley in N. Fort Myers), I have been at baseball's biggest parade (2004 red sox world series championship parade), I have gotten alcohol poisoning (that hurt), I have broken approximately 50 bones in my life, I have driven a vehicle to 175MPH, I have ice skated in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, and I have loved with all my heart and with no safety net. I purposely live life with no regrets, and if I die trying something, at least I tried it. Life is too short to live in fear, life is meant to be lived.
Sorry to ramble...point is, we live our lives trying not to get hurt, or in some sort of fear in the hopes that we will live a year longer. Well, I'd rather try everything I could, and live life and miss out on 5 years of life than to live a boring meaningless life. I don't fear death, cause there is nothing to fear. I love this expression "the only thing to fear is fear itself". It's so true.

I like the outlook on life here. Gotta make sure you take time each day for yourself.

For some, living life means traveling. For others, it's playing sports. And for others, it's simply taking the time to spend around family and friends. You don't have to be a risk taker or a bungee jumper to live life to the fullest. If you like bungee jumping, by all means, go do it and live your life. But if you like simply making sure you're sitting down to dinner with your family and not working 12 hours a day, then by all means do that.

I think it would be really hard to die knowing that you spent way too much time working, and not enough time doing the things you love, whatever they may be. To me, being on the "sidelines" means working way too much.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Well, am I afraid to die, no. Am I ready to die, absolutely not. I have not acheived enough to be considered a successful life. I firmly believe that there is a heaven, therefore I am not afraid of going to a better place.

The ignorance of death is unsettling though. Whatever our endevours, we know where we're going and where we've been (for the most part), in death, we don't have ANY clue. Will I be there with my dogs? Will my friends be there? Will it be a heaven for everyone, or will it be individualized for me? Will I still enjoy the simpler things in life, like watching the Skins beat the Cowboys, or will it be an entirely different life? It is natural to fear what you do not know. I have worked on myself to not fear it, but be more accepting. No matter what, we all have 1 thing in common, we will all die. It's a part of life. I accept this fact...I had 17 friends die in between my junior and senior year in high school. If I had to guess, I'd say I've been to about 40-50 funerals in my life. This helps me to understand death better, and I beleive that life tries to shelter you from death. It's GOING to happen. Sometimes it's not fair...in fact, a lot of times it's not fair. That's why you live life to the fullest when you can. I refuse to be 60 years old and look back and say "I wish I...." This is why I vacation someplace I have NEVER been at least once a year. Last year we went to St. Thomas / Nassau Bahamas / St. Maarten, we went to Cozumel / GeorgeTown Grand Cayman / Jamaica / and Labadee this year, and next year, we're going to Hawaii. I've been to all but 9 states, and I am determined to go to all 50 before I die, and visit as many countries as possible (I've only visited 9 at this point). I don't want to have any regrets. I've tried all sorts of things...stupid or not. I ride motorcycles, I raced ATV's, I've bungee jumped, I have sky dived, I have swam with Dolphins, I have swam and fed sting rays, I have swam with wild giant turtles, I have tamed class 4 rapids, I have climbed mountains, I have skiied where no man should have, I have braved a hurricane (Ok, it was dumb, but I got stuck in hurricane Charley in N. Fort Myers), I have been at baseball's biggest parade (2004 red sox world series championship parade), I have gotten alcohol poisoning (that hurt), I have broken approximately 50 bones in my life, I have driven a vehicle to 175MPH, I have ice skated in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, and I have loved with all my heart and with no safety net. I purposely live life with no regrets, and if I die trying something, at least I tried it. Life is too short to live in fear, life is meant to be lived.
Sorry to ramble...point is, we live our lives trying not to get hurt, or in some sort of fear in the hopes that we will live a year longer. Well, I'd rather try everything I could, and live life and miss out on 5 years of life than to live a boring meaningless life. I don't fear death, cause there is nothing to fear. I love this expression "the only thing to fear is fear itself". It's so true.

You say it was dumb to get caught in a hurricane. Whats dumb is going to were the hurrican is going to hit just because we had an island pass. My parents owned a cottage which gave them a pass which got us on the island to check the property. There was a line of cars 8 to 10 miles long leaving and one car full of to dumb a$$ guys heading in for the storm. I did stage a little show fo CNN like we where buying supplies and they took the bait and followed us around the store. It was cool because it came on and the guy was saying heres two guys getting ready for the storm and they show use getting tape, water etc... Then he said "and now they are getting the essentials" as we where taking two cases of beer out of the cooler. The hurrican braised the island and we only saw winds up to 60 mph. I will never do that again as that cottage on stilts was rocking pretty good with the 60 mph wind that did hit.

[RobH4413]

Originally Posted by BigSKINBauer

Well, you're right that it doesn't really have an evolutionary benefit, so it makes you wonder... Is it just a type of Mercy that is given to us from god? If death is a euphoric experience it seems like a big coincidence. It could just as easily be the exact opposite and be the most dreadful thing ever going on in your head.

Yeah, I'm not a big religious person, but at the same time I see some pretty strange stuff. I've also had some pretty insane experiences with intuition and things of that nature. This is just one example that messes with my head.

I'm pretty much the textbook agnostic. I think objective truth is unattainable, and that's what makes a lot of life so frustrating. There is no real way to KNOW in the true sense of the word that anything concrete exists. That's why death is so scary, but interesting.

[saden1]

If you fall from 30,000 feet you need supplemental oxygen otherwise you will defiantly pass out.