Man, I'm just glad those people in the picture aren't still alive.

:O

Sorry, Brian--obviously you were alive. I think you nailed it--older societies have a more mature understanding of death. In the US, good luck even discussing it. This used to be a big deal to me because I saw a lot of death in my 20's---my brother, my parents, my grandparents, a best friend, all felled in quick succession for different reasons. I became very annoyed with how we deal with it culturally. People who wanted to "be there" for me seemed to have only wanted to either feed me (I could do that) or hear all about my feelings (they wanted me to cry for them, it seems)...but once the discussion went to the nature of death, the meaning of death, how THEY perceived death, I was shocked at how quickly they left the room.

I'm older now and not resentful of peoples' fear of death. But I no longer fear it. Although I have no desire to hasten my own death, I DO look forward to it.

Death is certain and natural, and I accept the mystery, even the beauty it offers.

Check out Clint Anglin's song about Death...very insightful, I think.

http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman