Death

Just watched the Japanese movie 'Departures' and it led me to think of the topic of death.

As a nurse, dying & death issues has never been a taboo topic for me and I never shy away from talking or discussing about it. I know that I sometimes make certain people uncomfortable when I do talk about it and sometimes I think they feel that I'm callous.

To me, death is a natural progress that everyone of us has to go through one day, of course the most ideal scenario is when one only encounter it when one grow old and die of aging.
Then again, everyone knows that it can happen anytime, anywhere, anyway, without notice. It's something that nobody has control over. So why the taboo? Is it due to fear of dying?

In the movie, whenever a person passed away, there's a mixtures of different feelings displayed by different people, there's sadness, peace, anguish, regret & guilt. Many a times, guilt & regret is very prominent, be it not treasuring or treating the dead person well or good enough when the person is alive, only to realise it when the person passed away; enlightened that whatever grudges or blame means nothing when the person dies, instead regretting never having the chance to reconcile the relationship when the person is alive.

Always remember, It's the living who will feel the emotions, those who passed on is at peace already. The living must learn to deal & cope with the feelings that arise when a loved one passed away. If those living treasure their love ones, never take anyone for granted, live life to the fullest, when anyone passed on, it can be dealt with positively and life can carry on with lesser regrets.

In a way, those who passed on 1st have it easier.

One of the lead character whose wife passed away before him said,

"One day, one of us will have to go 1st, it's hard to be the one that's left behind"

How true.