To think I'm not going to die

[Ilikeminitwirls]

The death of David Bowie shocked me to the core yesterday. I worked in a hospice for 15 years and looked after people that were dying and witnessed hundreds of deaths during that time. So why am I in denial it will happen to me? I can't get my head round it

It's your Ego refusing to acknowledge that the world will go on without you. Not a bad thing actually.

Because it is too big to get your head around?

The thought of not being here anymore is something a lot of us can't really comprehend.

We all know we are going to die, but getting our head around it is a different matter.

Denial?, you're just not ready to face death, like anyone mnetting right now.

We're all going to die , hopefully not yet if we're all in good health.

Luckily we don't know what's round the corner and may die at any time through unfortunate circumstances.

I don't think you're at all unusual! Doesn't the whole of capitalist society basically exist to ensure that we don't really think about this all that much??

Maybe there's some happy medium, between total denial and total (maybe impossible if you're healthy?) acceptance. Somewhere that you can get on with life, but you can reflect on the decisions you make in a way that takes account of the fact that time is finite and precious.

Interesting thread mini

Responding to Arf's post personally I feel that when we die that's pretty much it. But life is and has been quite an amazing experience, although apart from a little travel and having my two DC (because that feels remarkable even if it's an everyday miracle) I've not done anything particularly out of the ordinary.

I hope like my Quaker forebear I'll be able to say a simple "I'm glad I was here" And I feel life will go on after me, especially through my DC - and DGC if I should be lucky enough to have those too. Otherwise I'm sure my genes, and maybe some small influences from my life, are out there somewhere.

Having said that I did like the writing of those thinking of the Starman being up amongst the stars now.

We are all made of stardust

(A great free exhibition around this in the intro at the Greenwich Observatory at top of hill in Greenwich Park - fab to take children to as well)

I'm not afraid of death itself, my worst fear is dying when my children are still young and them growing up without me.

Second to that my worst fear is being old and disabled, which is quite a likely prospect as I have a chronic health condition (diabetes) which can lead to all sorts of complications.

Personally I do believe in an afterlife, so maybe that makes a difference. But I console myself with the fact that if there isn't, at least I won't know i was wrong.

Yeh, I think there's a part of me that's quite relieved my DC are now 16 and 14 maggie and we've made it this far together. No reason for me to feel like this - I'm reasonably healthy AFAIK. It's a wider thing though - they seem to be turning out OK and I can see them coping with life with the skills and attitudes they're developing (but I guess that's for another thread really)

Some of it though that deep concern we have to be there for them as long as they need us.

we are designed not to worry about it (nothing to do with studenty politics statements..). Otherwise we'd all be too fed up to get anything done.

make the most of your time, don't waste and don't leave a mess behind for others.