What can we learn from death?

[Krys]

Death has been haunting me lately, with friends and their family members passing away. The visitation I attended today really struck a chord within me as the man who died was the definition of "heart of gold".

As I drove home through a thunderstorm, I pondered "Will I learn anything from this?" and I wondered if others had revelations after a death.

For me, I have started and stuck to always telling my loved ones that I love them. If I die, or they die, at least they will know how I feel.

This isn't about politics or religion - it's about being kind. Why do some of us (including me) need a reminder to be good, to be positive, to encourage and educate, to not be nasty to each other, to use life in a non-evil way?

 

[Libra6Poe]

"Get busy living or get busy dying"

My Dad died two years ago. Although he did live with me and I saw him all the time, we were still distant. He was diagnosed with cancer the summer before I went away for college. So we remained distant.

After he died, I kept talking about the things I should've done, the things I could've done... how if he were still around, I would've done "this" or "that"... then my best friend just said, "be quiet. don't give me your 'shoulda woulda couldas,'" Ever since then, I've stopped. I concentrate on my Mother, my Grandfather, friends, and family that are still alive.

I try not to do things I will regret and I do things so I won't regret.
As time goes by, I feel less haunted.

Dream:You should have gone to the funeral.
Orpheus: Why?
Dream: To say goodbye.
Orpheus: I have not yet said goodbye to Eurydice.
Dream: You should. You are mortal: it is the mortal way. You attend the funeral, you bid the dead farewell. You grieve. Then you continue with your life. And at times the fact of her absence will hit you like a blow to the chest, and you will weep. But this will happen less and less as time goes on. She is dead. You are alive. So live.
(from Neil Gaiman's The Sandman)

Why do some of us (including me) need a reminder to be good, to be positive, to encourage and educate, to not be nasty to each other, to use life in a non-evil way?

Sometimes we forget.

 

[honeydevil]

yeah i think we can learn from death, everybody in a different sense but yes!
the one thing that death is teaching me is that every day could be your last, so live it!

 

[cajunmama]

Here's my take on it.

My dad passed away just this past Saturday after a long illness. My sisters and I spent the past seven weeks doing our best to make whatever time he had remaining as full of love, family, peace and joy as we could. He saw grandkids every day, saw us every day (I was his daytime caregiver), we cooked for him, cleaned for him, saw to his every need with love patience and kindness. I know that he loved me very much and he knew that I loved him very much. I know that he appreciated all we did for him and that we did indeed make his last weeks as pleasant as they could possibly have been.

His wife, on the other hand, cheated on him, neglected him in his times of need, said horrible things to him and threatened to leave him, all while he was slowly dying. (that is until my sisters and I took him away from all that).

Even though I know he knew, I can't tell my daddy that I love him any more, so I tell those I love, that are still with me, that I love them, every chance I get.

 

[hay82]

One thing to learn from death, there is a life to live.

Why fear death, life is so much harder.