Early in childhood, in the same year, I lost two much-loved pets -- a turtle and a cat. It is quite unlikely that there was any connection between these deaths.
However, I was left with the impression of how tidy the process was. Both opted to quietly disappear to a place of their choosing, a place they would associate with contentment while alive. When found, they were neatly posed and peaceful. Those deaths did not leave any real negatives, besides the fact that I could no longer interact with them.
Later in life, I lost several close friends and relatives. Strangley, I judged their deaths by the same criteria as I judged my pets' deaths. There was a real comfort in seeing them pass tidilly. And this is exactly what I would want for myself, if I am able to have any say in the matter. I have not the least desire to stay alive, just for the sake of it, after quality-of-life sinks below a certain threshhold. Even more importantly -- I would not wish my loved-ones to witness an untidy passing.
Discuss
a a on March 10, 2008, 10:56 PM
Something I think about is an untimely sudden death. Is there anything I need to tell someone before I die? Should I tell them right now in case I accidentally get wiped out by bus or die in a plane crash? Have I accomplished everything I want to? Have I left something undone?
Be prepared to die at any moment, but plan to live forever. To me that is peace of mind.
As far as the act of dying, I would certainly prefer quick and painless over slow and painful. Preferably doing something noble as opposed to lying bed-ridden for days, months or years.
Jesse Akers on March 18, 2008, 7:44 PM
so where the gas chambers an example of tidy or an example of ugly?
death is caused by….
Jesse Akers on March 18, 2008, 7:44 PM
DM- come back
dennis ilic on March 23, 2008, 10:18 PM
Mr. Cosmos, I believe the deaths were connected. From experience I have learned that life, has infact, been teaching me lessons. If I did not learn from a subtle example, or the first, the severity and extreme of the situations would increase until I was forced to say: “what the f$%k are these things trying to tell me”.
Not saying you need to believe me, but the two pets dying in the same year, in the same manner, was enough to impact your life. To make you notice. So much so you just blogged it 15 days ago. The question I ask is why did you blog this, what lesson did you learn? I think you mentioned it at the end, you judge death by this very yard stick. Your pets dying prepared you for your own death.
You have an idea of how you would like to die, tidy, keep that in mind, without a doubt, and it will happen.
I have two turtles and one cat, I found some pleasure from hearing as a child you had the same pets. My side of the family has died as you say tidy, maily in there sleep of no ailments, just don’t show up to the breakfast table one morning. My mother-in-law on the other hand had died a very, literally, messy, way before I met my wife, and my father-in-law, has got the big c. One thing, then removed, gone, now another thing, removed, and gone, but I am under the impression, there will be another and eventually… not so tidy death.
On another note, thank you, cosmos, I enjoyed your presence here on big think, it has been a true pleasure.
Good luck with the model, although you know, I don’t really think you need it. I’m going to take a little break,
see ya when I see ya,
and if I don’t see you before the flip side,
please do have a tidy one.
Love and Peace.
Drew Woods on June 26, 2008, 1:11 PM
The strangest things in life teach us the most important things in life. healingzero, your observations were bang on and I also believe that the two deaths were no coincidence. Cosmo, I believe you have a good view on life and have to say that I too judge life in a similar manner. However, once I reach my threshold of life, I will not let go, I will just go harder and harder so that til the very end I was pushing. I was always picked on at school and it took me a while to push back. But I learned and that’s a part of who I am. I push and I don’t ever want to stop. I hope I die of a heart attack, jumping out of a plane when i’m 70. I think I’d like to die like that.
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