| | Death - Fear or Acceptance?Page 2 of 6 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) | Fear? Not in the least.
I've been in situations where I should have died...obviously, I didn't...'cause I'm posting.
The most momentous one for me was a few years ago. I won't go into detail, but very calmly and rationally I thought: 'Oh. This is how we die.' (meaning...this is the way I was going to die.)
Sooo.....afraid? Nah....not even. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/20/2009 3:15:49 PM | | Well. when I'm gone, I don't know what he thinks he's going to eat because there's not another soul on this earth who's ever fed him anything! | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/20/2009 3:37:00 PM | I am non-religious. Most of my life, I believed that upon death, I would merely become fertilizer for anything growing above my grave until I had an amazing experience at the death of my exhusband's aunt. I and mom-inlaw were tending her for the last two weeks of her life. I slept on a divan in her bedroom.
What happened in that room after she died revealed to me that there is something after death. It was WONDERFUL as in full of wonder. I now believe that there is something beautiful on the other side, and actually look forward to it. | |
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Malley
| | Joined: 5/12/2007
Msg: 30 | |
| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/20/2009 4:35:12 PM | ^ ^ Amazing is it not ??? It's something you have to experience to believe. I know I'd have been the first to doubt this of another. It certainly removes any doubt of better things ahead.
Fear is a waste of energy OP. It simply steals away the life we do have. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/20/2009 5:21:56 PM |
My life is only half over. No point in even thinking about it yet.
How do you know??? It could be 90% or 25%, we just never know. Better to make the most of each day just to be sure.
Death is only a new beginning, it is not THE end. If we live a successful, spiritual life, the next life will be all the more fulfilling. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/20/2009 5:29:11 PM | Death doesn't frighten me. I believe it's our reward for putting up with the sheat here on earth. I'm excited to be able to once again see friends that have passed on before me. Especially Jim Morrison, gosh I hope we can have sex in Heaven! | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/20/2009 8:37:50 PM | I pretty much accepted death as a part of life since I've been volunteering at my local hospital. I will be dealing with illness/death altogether...
I'm not afraid of dying but the hardest part is not being able to be surrounded by your loved ones at your death bed, saying goodbye and thanking them for being a part in my life. | |
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*Don*
| | Joined: 1/30/2009
Msg: 34 | |
| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 12:02:15 AM | Well ... I fear that if I should manage to get myself to heaven that I'll have to accept the fact that I'll have to stand outside the Pearly Gates to have a smoke -- (says he, staying deftly on topic).
D | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 8:00:45 AM | No need to waste time fearing what I can't control. I could live another 40-50 years, or I could get run over by a truck this afternoon! Fact is ~ none of us actually "know" until the time comes, so why not live life to the fullest, one day at a time!
I will say this ~ if I died today, I'd die happy and content. There's still a lot I'd like to do here on this earth, but if today was my chosen day I'd trust that it was all part of the plan and happened just the way it was meant to. I also believe I'll live on in spirt. 
I do however fear (as some other posters have mentioned), the death 'process' ~ should there be one. I'd hate to know my kids felt I didn't even know who they were (like in The Notebook) or that I was a burden to anyone, or that I'd suffer any amount of time on pain meds. (I do have the comfort of knowing my furry kids would be well taken care of by family). It's not something I dwell on ~ but do think of from time to time. I've always told those close to me ~ if I'm suffering (which causes others suffering), just call Dr. Kavorkian! | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 11:58:00 AM | | i accept death totally now, its a part of life and i think its just like going into another room. i am only 26 but have nearly drown twice, nearly went after surgery and was close to it for a wile recovering. i was dead when i was born, and i take medication forever now. to look at me u would think i was totally healthy. i have had some spiritual experiences though which have made me stronger and have comforted me alot through the years when times have been rough. we cant choose. it has to happen so i call it going home, where we are supposed to be. i am not relgious, i have not got a faith label but i have strong morals and try and live by those. i read up on lots of diffrent cultural beliefs and religions and they all say the same thing, that there is one god.? its just how we as individuals connect with that. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 2:56:19 PM | First of all, I truthfully never thought I would live this long (72) because in my past I fell out of a moving car as a baby, got caught in a rip tide in the Navy and saw my body in a flag covered casket, survived a bad marriage, (later married a great woman), had a heart attack and remembered everything going completely black as they rolled me into the emergency room and ended up with a quadruple by pass, as a narcotics officer I had a $25,000 hit contract on me at one time, etc. etc. I lost my lovely wife three years ago and decided to start carrying out my will by giving land to my children, watched as my son blew inherited money and wound up broke (this was a mistake, don't do it), so with what funds I personally had I went and pre-arranged my funeral
now all my grown kids have to do is pay for opening and closing my grave. Looking back I realized all the "whore hopping", drinking and getting drunk, etc.etc. was going against me, so I asked and God forgave me. Now here I am on POF and it seems all the forums want to talk about sex, when scripture forbids me to engage in fornication.
So presently, I have started going back to church, reading my bible, and frequently praying to God. In a way I am afraid of death simply because I never really tried it before. I just hope I don't become a burden to anyone nor end up in a rest home or dying in pain. But as a whole I look beyond death into eternity. That is why I choose to be a Christian.  | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 4:26:11 PM |
Do you give much or any thought to your death?
I once was consumed with the thought. It left me with a true sense of helplessness, fear and panic attacks. Then I nearly did die. That solved that. It's really not scary when it's staring back at you in the mirror. The reality came with a sense of "calmness" in so many ways.
Have you come to terms with your own death and how did you go about coming to terms with that acceptance?
The day I was told to make arrangements for the end. That sort of clears up any fears/thoughts you have on the subject. I made a Will and a Living Will, called my son, explained the situation, and made plans to return to our home state to be with him. I drove 1750 miles looking at things I might not have looked at otherwise. I talked to strangers about strange topics. I didn't look away from the homeless. I stopped worrying about tomorrow and started seeing what is right in front of my face today. Once with my son? My health situation improved, BUT, I was back where I didn't want to be. I figured there was a reason for all of that, and there was. My son had a near fatal accident in March. I was supposed to be here. Now that situation???? That will clear up any and all things you can think about regarding death. I'm perfectly accepting of my own demise. His? Not the least bit accepting. Oddly, he is on the other end this time. He wasn't ready for me to go, but he was OK with his own death. Really sort of strange when it's put into perspective such as that. I now whole-heartedly believe that losing someone is much tougher than being lost. JMO  | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 5:26:40 PM | I know...I have to die and I have less miles to live in front of me...than behind me.
Whatever...I don't think about death.
So no fear or acceptance...
Anyway...if you know that you have to die soon...I'm sure a lot of emotions will come.Rejection...no acceptance is the first...next probably anger(why me?)...and you know...that you are dying soon...so you try everything to live just little longer...
Whatever...you are helpless... so next emotions are depression...despair.
And the last is acceptance...
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 6:42:49 PM | | That is why I shall wait for the Buffalo on my own terms. Might take some peyote with me too, then if don't die right then and there, it won't have been a total waste of time and I'll just try again on some other really nice day. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 6:44:08 PM | I hope to have reached a good level of maturity and serenity with life before its time to go. I do hope I wont be hit by a truck and dragged for 50 metres rather be prewarned in some way so I can keep my house tidy for the relatives to pack up and get rid of my things. Which leads to a point - how much do I acutually need ? Could I stuff my car in the box and should I get cremated. I am not joking all these things come to mind.
Hopefully though I can remember to enjoy the city I live in and keep my direction in self improvement as often I err on that particular path | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/21/2009 9:42:23 PM | To the countrary, I do not fear death, I have made it my life's companion, my mentor, and when my time comes, my last friend who I will welcome with open arms.
I have changed careers three times and finally settled into a career where I literally face the real possibility of death on a daily basis.
Death does what none of humankind's machinations have ever been able to do: it makes us all equal. No matter how rich or poor (I am the latter, not the former), no matter how high or low ranked in societyy (again, ditto), we all end up, well, dead.
And if there is an afterlife (I personally do not believe there is one), (1) Boy, am I gonna be surprised, (2) I know exactly where I'm gonna end up, and it's not heaven, (3) But that's O.K., 'cause I'll be with all of my friends. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/22/2009 4:33:59 AM | Life, Death, end of line
one more line, two more times,
forever more, once again, do over
once over, immortal me, immortal you
what to do, I want to leave something big
but that will go too, so what to think
I don't know, you don't know, we don't know
so what's the fuss, unsolved mystery,
hit by a bus, gone with the wind
won't return, here again. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/22/2009 11:37:11 AM | I don't fear DEATH / the end of my current living arrangements! I've escaped DEATH so many times that, when it happens, I expect I'll be rather calm about it! in the past when I was anticipating immediate DEATH, I was thinking something along the lines of, "oh ... so THIS is how I'm going to die! wow! good to know! not bad!" or ... "oops ... this is embarrassing!"
I do, however, fear the PAIN that mite be associated with a slow lingering death! I live alone and sometimes don't speak with anyone human for days on end ... if I were to die on a Thursday afternoon, for example, no human would even miss me or wonder where I was until Monday morning ... that's a really long time if I were lying somewhere with a broken hip, for example, waiting for someone to find me ...
I keep plenty of food and water available for my dog and birds ...
my major concern regarding my own death is about my daughter going thru my writings, books, magazine articles, other papers, keepsakes, etc. after my death and throwing away everything that was intended to make my presence known on this planet ... all my gems of wisdom! all my witty phrases!
I'm afraid that, after my death, I'll be forgotten ... invisible, erased, as tho I had never existed ... I fear my impact on this planet has not been sufficiently significant for the memory of me to continue ...
wow ... what a pity party ... I'll bet we're ALL sorry I decided to respond to THIS thread! whew! gonna go appreciate my serene gardens and pools ... listen for the children's laughter or maybe the song of a bird ... to clear my head! whew!
maybe I should take another stab at writing "the great American novel!" now that I know how important that is to me!
laffing at myself in embarrassment ... 
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/22/2009 11:48:36 AM |
Do you give much or any thought to your death? Do you fear your death and, if so, what are those fears? I'm not sure that I fear it exactly, but I certainly think it's a darned bad idea. I've got too much living to do and I'm nowhere near ready to consider dying. My husband's sudden and unexpected death was a terrible shock to me. I much less inclined to worry about the future and much more inclined to just have a good time now in case there isn't a future. | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/22/2009 3:22:23 PM | Glad to see you posting, Tink, and pray for a long, long, very long remission for you!
My grandfather used to always say that was no need to fear death, because "whether we liked it or not, whether we wanted to go or not, we all were going to.....'you cannot stay' was how he put it."
As I've gotten older, I realize that death is not what I fear, pain is what I fear! | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/22/2009 3:54:07 PM | Fear of dying...it is the worst experience in human's life.
I mean...dying because of a war...hate or whatever... | |
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| Death - Fear or Acceptance?
Posted: 4/22/2009 5:00:24 PM | | Add me to the list of those not afraid of death. While I don't want to go anytime soon (I have things still to do), I don't worry about it or fear it. Just want to go quick and not be a burden to my loved ones. | |
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