Was always amused by the account of Robespierre choosing to be guillotined face up, "I want to see death coming." Now ChatGPT claims to find no historical basis for this apparent legend.
Great points. I think we as a society should discuss the inevitable. It is said that 50% of Americans do not have a will. IMO that speaks volumes about how we collectively view death. I see being prepared and open about death is the gift you can give to your family. Since the actual death part is hardest on the living why burden them more. I guess I look at death in a more practical way rather than philosophical or maybe both? Not sure.
One answer to this question comes from Willa Cather's "Lucy Gayheart." Lucy has suffered a devastating personal loss -- the death of her lover -- and is trying to find a way forward through her grief. I love her epiphany here, which I think is universal enough.
“Suddenly something flashed into her mind, so clear that it must have come from without, from the breathless quiet. What if—what if Life itself were the sweetheart? It was like a lover waiting for her in distant cities — across the sea; drawing her, enticing her, weaving a spell over her…. Oh, now she knew! She must have it, she couldn’t run away from it. She must go back into the world and get all she could of everything that had made him what he was. Those splendours were still on earth, to be sought after and fought for.”
Was always amused by the account of Robespierre choosing to be guillotined face up, "I want to see death coming." Now ChatGPT claims to find no historical basis for this apparent legend.
<Sigh>--more color gone from life.
Great points. I think we as a society should discuss the inevitable. It is said that 50% of Americans do not have a will. IMO that speaks volumes about how we collectively view death. I see being prepared and open about death is the gift you can give to your family. Since the actual death part is hardest on the living why burden them more. I guess I look at death in a more practical way rather than philosophical or maybe both? Not sure.
One answer to this question comes from Willa Cather's "Lucy Gayheart." Lucy has suffered a devastating personal loss -- the death of her lover -- and is trying to find a way forward through her grief. I love her epiphany here, which I think is universal enough.
“Suddenly something flashed into her mind, so clear that it must have come from without, from the breathless quiet. What if—what if Life itself were the sweetheart? It was like a lover waiting for her in distant cities — across the sea; drawing her, enticing her, weaving a spell over her…. Oh, now she knew! She must have it, she couldn’t run away from it. She must go back into the world and get all she could of everything that had made him what he was. Those splendours were still on earth, to be sought after and fought for.”
Life itself as the lover. Works for me.
See the full post here: https://joshuadolezal.substack.com/p/how-do-you-know-if-your-eureka-moments