The Death Rate is 100%

I was moved by an essay in today’s Newsroom by a man who lost his mother to cancer when he was a teenager. He has a diary she wrote for him when she knew she would die, and I thought how wonderful to have those words.

Two close friends of mine have died from cancer, and I have strong memories of them both. It’s true that those who die are always with us in some form. I have personally found a slower death easier to deal with than a sudden unexpected one. My mother declined slowly, had no obvious pain, and accepted death philosophically, aged 83. My expectation is that I will go in a similar fashion, but of course we never know!

My father and brother both died suddenly, aged 43 and 57 respectively, and I am strongly aware of having lived longer than either of them. I have a will, an Enduring Power of Attorney, and an Advance Care Plan.

Now and then I think I could do more to clear the clutter of papers and other personal effects (a file drawer full of genealogical research), but there’s no great urgency for this, and it may just be that everything gets thrown away after I’ve gone.

In the meantime I try to live in the moment, enjoy each day, and keep healthy. Have you made preparations for your inevitable death? Have you written a diary, or multiple blog posts, so those who are left behind know your history and feelings?

This post might seem morbid to some, but to me it is realistic.

Now that I’ve passed three score and ten
my youth will not come back again