Are you able to contemplate the world after you pass on?

[CanadianJohn]

I can. I was surprised to read this in a book review:

"we are simply not equipped to fathom a world in which we don’t exist.”

"It’s a logical absurdity," <the author> continues, "since rationally we know the world existed before we did and will continue after we don’t, but emotionally this is almost unfathomable for most of us, myself included.”

Well, I dunno at all. I live in an area of (mostly) elderly people. I've seen a couple of neighbours decline and die, their houses sold, and new people moving in. The same is gonna happen to me. I don't have any trouble contemplating the future.

Any one else?

I just pray for Euthanasia or a quick death.

Death is a part of life and I’ve accepted that from a young age.

My children are adults now young adults but still a big stress has been lifted knowing there is no hassle of guardians needed etc anymore.

Just sorting out wills now to remove all guardians and make my children the executors and a huge weight has been lifted.

My only worry is a long drawn out waiting for death or death scenario. In an ideal world I would like a death care plan and to be euthanised when I was still able to plan it myself.

No. I do not have trouble fathoming this at all.

Life goes on.... I can't imagine what it might be like after a while but it will.

Apart from having my affairs organised as best I can I don't give it much thought.

Nor do I. I often think about a future which does not include me. I mean, it’s not as though little termite me and my particular timeline are in any way important in the great scheme of things.

Surely the majority know that the world will continue without them!

Gosh, I can't at all. I have always found the thought huge and terrifying. The only thing that has changed is that since I had children I am more terrified of them dying so my own death comes second place. But I still can't contemplate the world beyond my existence. It has kept me awake since I was little.

gosh, I totally can. I think about it quite a lot actually, what I'll leave behind, the direction my DC's lives might take, the generations to come, how they'll look back on our generation etc

Sorry didn't mean to repeat 'gosh' - made it sound sarcastic, which is totally wasn't meant to be! I just think I think about death quite a lot...

I imagine the world will be very much the same without me. Unless I die in a new and spectacular way that teaches the whole world a lesson on self-preservation.

I have FOMO!

What will happen in Corrie? What happens if I die halfway through reading a really good book?

I mean, I know I won't know (or care) but those thoughts worry me!

I have a terminal disease. My husband and children will learn to live without me but their lives will be forever changed by my early death but beyond that, my life and subsequent death is in no way significant and I actually find that quite comforting.

Yes, I think about it quite a lot as well.

I recommend the poem “And yet the books” by Czeslaw Milosz
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/and-yet-the-books/

I am old and I think about death a lot. I am not frightened of death, only the manner of dying. I would love it if euthanasia was legalised then, when I was declining, I could plan my death.
I have a Dutch friend whose mother did just this. She was in her 90's and lived independently but was worried about falling and not being found and had, quite frankly, had enough. She made arrangements to be euthanised. Her family spent the weekend with her and then she died in a dignified and peaceful way. It was what she wanted and to me that seems ideal.
Life goes on and my children and grandchildren will go on. I won't be there to see it but I know I will be remembered with affection.

Ever since I was little there were times (mainly at night) when I'd be gripped by a sense of panic at the thought of dying and the thought would literally snowball into a huge panic, I wonder if you experienced the same thing?

Ever since I was little there were times (mainly at night) when I'd be gripped by a sense of panic at the thought of dying and the thought would literally snowball into a huge panic, I wonder if you experienced the same thing?

Yes, absolutely this.

Whilst I have a lovely life, and am (currently) fit and well, I actually find it soothing to know that there is an endpoint, a permanent and deeply restful sleep to look forward to, if you like 😂

On the other hand, I find the thought that me, DH, DS and DD won't always be together- very sad 😞

As I get older I think about this more and more. I think I would want to be in charge of when I died so I could tie up loose ends and say goodbyes. I fear just dying one day out of the blue and leaving everyone to sort things out.

I’m a keen gardener. Every year I watch the plants grow, flourish, then shrivel up and die. The following year new flowers grow from the seeds that they scattered, just as beautiful and very similar to the ones that went before them. I think we’re just like the flowers. We’ll live on in the future generations, even though we’re no longer here.

I have no problem with it, any more than I have a problem with the world before I existed.

If there is nothing after death I won't know about it, so there is nothing to worry about.

If you are afraid of being dead, what was it like for you before you were born?

The only time I’ve ever thought about was when I was suicidal and then I was utterly convinced the world would be a better place, for my family I mean, not everyone, I’m not that important.

i don’t think about it anymore. The world will move on regardless of who you are. The queen for example, possibly one the most famous and well known people and important figures (I know she couldn’t exactly do much), she died and the world has largely moved on. Basically no one will be like the queen like who she was (I know people have differing opinions on this, I’m just using her as an example), and the world, the uk, England is fine without her. So I’m sure in the event of my death of little inconsequential me, the world will not be affected.

the only thing that may effect the world or country or whatever. Is for example if a death resulted in something like Claire’s law, or law or change. I don’t think anything that I do, or would happen to me would do that. But maybe some people it would.

the only thing I have thought about is when my nan, dad or step mum died. Not so much my nan, but my dad and step mum in particular. I can’t live independently and significantly rely on them. Most of the time I don’t think about it but sometimes I do. Logically I have a plan for the practical things. But the reality I don’t know. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me though, only occasionally. I’m sure it’ll be fine in the end, it usually is.