by Hugo Silva

Created on: October 20, 2009   Last Updated: October 22, 2009

The fear of death and dying has been a regular presence in the minds of man since the beginning of times. Back in prehistoric times, it was usual to have burial ceremonies to keep the dead at peace, and to make sure that they would pass on to a better life. This has been a constant to this very day. We still have ceremonies for our dead, and it strikes me as obvious that it will remain like this.

The issue here is that everyone fears death, and everyone is afraid of dying, one way or another. It doesn't really matter if you die alone or with your loved ones around you, people will always have this fear. This happens mostly because the human being can't understand death, and dying strikes humanity as something that shouldn't happen. The thought "I just got here" is the one that comes to mind when one knows that the time has come. I must say that it is inevitable to think like this when we look back at our life. Most of us will look back and think "I didn't do enough", and will probably get that unfinished business feeling. How to get over this fear of death and dying?

We must realize that it will happen someday, and there will be nothing you can do about it when the time comes, unless technology and science can give us a hand that is. Experiments have been made in order to restore dead cells, and many advances have been made in the research for the cure for some of mankind's most devastating diseases and conditions, but that doesn't mean that if the research of human cells and their regeneration reaches a point where it will enable people to regenerate the dying cells, it will be allowed. It will raise some ethical questions as science always has.

One thing we need to keep in mind at all times is that if death is inevitable, so is life, and we need to focus on the time we have, the moments that we are alive, whether it is to spend time with your loved ones, or just doing some activity that you truly enjoy. It is not an irrational fear, this fear of death, it is part of the human nature, and it is part of being human.

Just remember, although someday we do die, that doesn't mean that you have to live in fear of that unknown, none of us knows for sure what happens after we die, and if one spends too much time thinking about it, one will probably overlook the really important things, like your loved ones. Don't forget, the ones who are with you are the ones that really matter now.

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