Sometimes I think about dying, I thought I would share some of my thoughts.
Music: This Will Destroy You – Happiness: We’re All In It Together
videobloggingweek2007
Vlogging Week ’07, Day 2 – Death
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speaking from my experience arranging first my own father’s funeral, and then my grandma’s, let me tell you it is much better for those left behind to know what you want done for your funeral etc. than to have to make guesses when they are feeling at their worst.
it’s not morbid to think about death. it’s morbid to obsess over it and ignore life. but you don’t do that.
what i think is cool is that you don’t fear death. it’s part of life.
your video is beautiful.
I actually thought this was going to be a roadkill video when I clicked on it.
I try not to think about death.. but maybe I should. it’s one of the few things that’s guaranteed.
Thanks so much for sharing this. Personally, I can’t wait, can’t wait to see my brother again.
wow, that’s some heavy shit man. I don’t want to die. I wish to live forever.
and it’s not morbid. Your comfortable with it is all. Nothing wrong with that.
I don’t think it’s morbid to think about your own death – it’s gonna happen to all of us some time or another. And the more you can let your loved ones know about your wishes, the easier it’ll be on them when the time comes. My wife’s dad passed away a few months ago, and I’d wished we’d had a better sense of his wishes. I think we did okay with what we had, but we kept wondering, is this what he wanted?
As for me, I’m not planning to check out any time soon. But two things I’ve made clear – whoever does my funeral service will call me Andy, not Andrew, and at some point, they’ll play “Body of an American” by The Pogues, and everyone will be encouraged to sing along.
A good piece of rock – I like that.
Hey, my dad is dead too! Perhaps I shouldn’t say that so excitedly.
I randomly think about my funeral and what song or video I’d like played, and Lori also thinks it’s a bit morbid. (More likely she just doesn’t want to think about the possibility.) It is healthy though, and natural I think.
Here Lies Josh Leo
Died Age 97
While Vlogging His First Skydiving Lesson
Josh, this is (in my opinion) your best video. Superbly shot; excellent music and a peaceful narration. Morbid? Realistic? Perhaps enlightened! Thank you for sharing.
My sister emailed me this morning and asked if I’d watched today’s post yet. She said it deeply affected her…So of course, I clicked on over and watched it and it made me cry – for the same reason it did her: our younger brother is about your age, I think, but he encountered death at the age of 22 in 2004. Sometimes, you remind me of him, and some of the things you said in this post made me wonder what he would say if he could tell us about his perspective on death and what he wanted for a headstone and all that. We had to get one of those flat ones for him and I wasn’t thrilled. Some of those really old stones in the cemeteries are so cool. I love going to graveyards. I like how you’re so specific about what kind of food you want at the funeral. And I like how you mentioned the good things about death- how you’re going to see family and do cartwheels. It reminds me that death is simply a doorway into eternity.
Thanks for sharing this, Josh.
It seems that maybe death is something that we should consider more often. I used to volunteer as an EMT, I remember well my first time experiencing death while at that job.
It was a powerful experience. The man was fairly young only in his 40′s. I came home from that early morning emergency call and had many thoughts in my head one lead to me writing a poem, others led to me calling family, much of them just lead to me considering death and the things that come with it. Things that include as you say the moving on to things better….which is something I definitely look forward to myself.
Often when I think about death I am reminded of a passage found in the book of Ecclesiastes that says: “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.”
Maybe your thoughts about death have helped you to live your life and spend your time here in a better way. I’m glad you do live your life as you do (at least the parts that I know about) and that you share it with us all. I hope you can live to be a vlogging grandfather as well, but if you do die I’m glad you’ve lived a life with few regrets and with hope in the God of something more.
I used to think about death a lot the months before Kent and I got married because it such as transition time. For every beginning there is an ending and visa versa.
I think reflecting about death can make a person more aware of how they really want to live in the present. When I recently watched my died die I was hyper aware that our personalities are ‘like shells’ we leave behind. I think for this reason facing death can be a gift because it can give us an intuitive sense of something much greater.
I enjoyed your reflections.
I think, as per the difinition, thinking of death is not morbid at all
I think that people who would say it’s morbid don’t take the concept of mortality as seriously as they should. Just my opinion.
I think everyone shares your thoughts on this. I think about it but I try not to and I hope that it is nothing but many years away.
btw, have you ever read Leroy Sievers’ blog, My Cancer? He was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer a year ago and he’s been blogging about it for NPR ever since. Amazingly, he’s actually in remission at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped him from reflecting on his mortality and creating a space where others can talk about their own battles with cancer.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/mycancer/
I think about it too, but as an Atheist my thoughts aren’t as hopeful. Instead I try to make the most out of every day. However, it would be really nice if we all got a second chance (or an afterlife). I will be sad when you die (if you die before me, that is)… you’re awesome in so many ways. Lots of love, C.
You are amazing.
Wow. Deep. . .I was wanting to hear more about your dad’s death and how that touched your views. Maybe sometime we’ll chat about it. And how in the heck are we supposed to get Wolf’s cake up to Michigan for your funeral?
You dont ned to see yr grand father or yr father..just look in the mirror..its them its you
Craggles
I think about death alot too……probably because I never expected to live this long….
Sharing thoughts and ideas open, honest and pure. Got my eyes wet a little bit.
That’s what it is all about.
Very deep.
Love the graveyard shots, i guess thats the morbid goth side of me.
I’ve done pleanty of band photo shoots in the past in graveyards.
WTH is a ham bun?
I don’t think it’s morbid at all. I think yours is one of the more sensible and healthy attitudes towards death I’ve heard in awhile. I think about it a lot, too. I’m not afraid of death exactly, just dying painfully. I’m just so intensely curious about what happens afterward that I can’t help but think about it!
Wow, that was such a great video. Seems to me like you have a totally lucid and unmorbid view of death. Examining death lets us enjoy our lives more. Andy beat me to it, but I was going to point out Leroy Sievers podcast, as well.
You’re not morbid. Thinking about death makes one appreciate life, no?
You make me want to videoblog more.
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